A beginner's guide to love
by andtheyfightcrime
Summary: An AU take on the Inheritors. Takes place six years before the drama begins - where the main characters are twelve years old. What if Myung Soo meets Eun Sang first? And she grows up with him and Choi Young Do, becoming the closest of friends. Will their friendship survive adolescence and romantic entanglements? Deviates from the drama, do not expect canon, obviously.
1. age 12 & 13

**Fall, twelve**

Myung Soo sees the girl when he is out shopping with his mother. At first he's not sure it_ is_ a girl – the figure is slim and wearing a uniform of a black hoodie and jeans. Fairly clean sneakers. Baseball cap nestled under the hood.

All the girls Myung Soo know wear skirts or dresses – fancy confections of silk and lace, with pleats and ribbons. They always look like pretty dolls, the kind that his mother used to collect and stowed away in the cabinet in their living room.

He doesn't think he's ever seen Bo Na or Rachel wear pants. His mother wears pants sometimes, but those are on the days she goes to court and wants to prove a point.

The maybe not girl turns around, and Myung Soo finally sees her face. Big eyes – a bumpy nose, a dimpled chin. It's a face that doesn't go with the starkness of her clothes. She looks like she's hiding.

The girl's eyes meet his and he holds up a hand and waves.

The girl looks at him hesitantly, then waves back.

His mother comes out of the shop and takes him away before he can ask the girl her name.

Myung Soo mulls it over on the way back home. She was by herself, and she carried a plastic bag full of cans. What was she doing with them?

"Eomma," he says, and tugs at his mother's sleeve. She was on the phone – probably with his father, and held up a finger.

_Be quiet._

Myung Soo knew the signs – he had been a very quiet baby, so quiet that his worried parents had taken him to a speech therapist. The therapist had checked him thoroughly and reassured his parents that he would begin to talk when he was ready to. In response, his mother had learned and taught him baby sign language. She had added a few more signs of her own along the way, and by the time Myung Soo was talking – and _talking_, he knew exactly what his mother was feeling without having to hear a word.

One finger meant _be quiet_. Two fingers meant _I'll talk to you later_, three fingers meant _And your father is going to hear this_.

He leans back into his car's plush leather seating, and counts to ten. By the time ten comes, his mother shuts off her phone and looks over at him.

"What is it?"

"Eomma, what do you do with cans?"

"What do you mean?" His mother's brow furrows. "What cans?"

Myung Soo tries to visualize the cans – he always had an eye for details. "You know, soda cans – the long thin ones." Green and white meant cider cans, orange and purple for orange and grape.

"You haven't been drinking soda have you, Myung Soo? I told you those are bad for your teeth."

"No, Eomma." Myung Soo wasn't allowed soda or any kind of artificially sweet food at home, which meant he bought it at school and ate it there.

"Well, they contain things. And then you recycle them when you're finished with them. Why do you want to know?"

"I saw a girl with a bag full of them, and they were empty. What does a person do with empty cans?"

"Ah, she was probably collecting them for money." His mother's brow smoothed out. "What did this girl look like?"

"Like – a girl," Myung Soo says lamely. "I mean, different from Bo Na and Rachel. But a girl."

"Well, if you see her again, give her my card. It's important that we help those that are less fortunate than we are."

"She didn't look unfortunate. Just – " Myung Soo wracks his brain for the word he wants, and the girl's face pops into view again. It wasn't a sad or happy expression – just that she looked at him slowly as if she didn't understand him. It was an expression he was familiar with.

"She looked like she might be nice," he says finally.

His mother's attention was drawn to her phone again. "Oh, don't forget, Bo Na's birthday party is next weekend. Her mother just texted me."

"Okay," Myung Soo says. He likes parties.

He forgets the girl in black until he sees her again, this time pushing a cart full of cans. He tells his driver to stop.

Myung Soo rolls down the window and calls out. "Hey, you with the cart."

The girl is wearing a grey hoodie this time, and the same white sneakers – only a little more scuffed. She turns and looks at him.

"What?"

Myung Soo puts on his best smile, the one that ingratiates him with teachers and elderly aunts with cold hands. "Can you come over here?"

"Why?"

Myung Soo is baffled. No one ever rejected The Smile before. Well, no one except Bo Na at that awful birthday party two weeks ago. Even Kim Tan had smiled at him and Kim Tan was_ famous_ for not smiling.

He realizes the girl is walking away just as his driver coughs and says, "Young master, do you want me to follow her?"

Myung Soo shakes his head. "It's fine, can you just drive to the end of the street and wait for me there? I'll be right back."

Then he gets out of the car and he runs after her. "Hey, wait for me!"

The girl walks faster, but Myung Soo is determined, and he catches up to her when the cart wheels dip into a crack on the sidewalk. She skids to a stop.

The girl is taller in person – a whole head taller, in fact. She wraps her hands around the handle bar and looks over – then _down_ at him. "What do you want, kid?"

"How old are you?"

"Twelve," she says.

"Ha, same age as me! When's your birthday?"

"November 11."

He pumps a fist in the air triumphantly. "Ha, my birthday is October 8! I'm older than you."

He lowers his arm and looks at her smugly. "You should call me Oppa."

She snorts, then rolls her eyes – _rolls her eyes_ at him, and turns back to her cart. "I don't think so."

"Then what's your name? I'm Jo Myung Soo. Son of Seungri Law Offices."

He waits for the inevitable dawn of realization in her eyes – but her eyes remain brown and unmoved.

"You haven't heard of Seungri Law Offices?"

He sings a few bars of the jingle – his parents had hired a songwriter from Mega Entertainment to promote their business, but the girl shrugs. "No idea."

"Are you serious?"

"Should I know it?"

"Well – no, but, hey, stop. Where are you going?"

"I'm busy, can you leave me alone?"

"I'm just interested in what you're doing with those cans," he says. "Why do you need so many? Did you drink them all?"

The girl looks at him incredulously. "Are you stupid?"

"No, I got tested, and I have some kind of learning disability, but my mom doesn't know I know, so my teachers know not to expect that much from me."

The girl's mouth opens then shuts. She looks at him and shakes her head. "That is the saddest thing I've heard today. Do you always talk like this to strangers?"

"Well you know who I am. What's your name?"

The girl's lips twitch, and she finally smiles. "I'm Cha Eun Sang."

They walk to a mart and Myung Soo waits outside while Eun Sang bargains with the owner. She comes out with a bag full of cans – and some empty soju bottles. Myung Soo's eyes widen with appreciation.

"You're really good at this, Cha Eun Sang!"

Eun Sang shrugs modestly. "It's just practice."

They end up on a park bench near the end of the street. Myung Soo waves at his driver and motions for him to wait.

Cha Eun Sang is twelve, and has a family of three other people – her father, her mother, and her older sister Eun Suk, who is eighteen.

Myung Soo listens attentively as Eun Sang explains how she collects cans and turns them in for pocket money.

"I drink a lot of soda at school, I can give you mine," he offers generously. "I can bring you the whole collection, if you want."

"That's nice but I don't need your help," Eun Sang says. "It's not like we'll see each other again." She stretches and hops off the bench.

Now it's his turn to look at her incredulously. "Why not? We're friends, aren't we?"

"How can we be friends if I've just met you? Jo Myung Soo, you're strange."

"Because we can," he says. "I remember when I saw you, I thought you were nice."

"You don't know me well enough to say that –" Eun Sang starts.

"I also thought you were a boy," Myung Soo admits. "So which one am I going to be wrong on?"

"Yah, in what world do I look like a boy?" Eun Sang punches him lightly on the arm. "Are you blind as well as strange?"

Myung Soo rubs his arm and makes a face at her. "Yah, careful. I am very delicate and I could sue you."

Eun Sang's face goes stiff and she steps away from him. "Sorry."

Myung Soo is immediately contrite. "I'm joking, I'm much stronger than I look. I wouldn't sue you. Come back, Eun Sang."

"That is not a funny joke." Eun Sang chews on her lip nervously. "Listen, Jo Myung Soo –"

"Myung Soo," he corrects her. "We're friends."

Eun Sang relents. "Myung Soo, you might have guessed already, but I'm not from a rich family like you are, and I don't think we have anything that's the same."

"You're wrong." She looks at him curiously.

Myung Soo clears his throat and pushes up an imaginary pair of glasses.

"My family's not rich, we're," and he thinks about what his father said on the phone to a co-worker, "comfortably well off. My friends are richer than my family, but both my father and mother went to Seoul University, and my father studied in America."

"Eonni is studying for her college exams – if she gets in, she'll be the first one in our family to go," Eun Sang says softly.

"I'm not finished," Myung Soo says hurriedly. "I'm not good at reading but I really like music and taking pictures and I drink soda and eat candy all the time at school because I'm not allowed to at home."

"Why do you want to be my friend anyway?" Eun Sang changes the subject.

"Because I don't really have one," Myung Soo says. He smiles brightly at her. "You'd be my first real one."

"Didn't you say you have friends?"

"They're just kids I know because my parents know their parents." Myung Soo kicks at the ground. "We're not close."

_The birthday party had been a disaster from the moment he walked in. He had been one of the last guests to arrive, after spending an hour looking for a birthday present. Bo Na hadn't even said hello when he came. The usual suspects were already there – Rachel, wearing a pale pink dress and a perfectly formed scowl was sitting by the grand piano, while Tan and Young Do were playing a video game in the portable arcade area. Tan was dressed in an eye-watering purple sweater while Young Do wore a soft heather grey long sleeved shirt. _

_Young Do had at least acknowledged him with a nod and a smirk, while Tan focused on his game._

_There was a dance floor, a DJ, snack bar and individual karaoke booths set up for entertainment, while two members of Super Junior circulated around the room and took pictures with excited party goers._

_Bo Na came up to him as he was helping himself to a glass of fruit punch. "Yah, this party sucks."_

_He nearly choked. "What?"_

_Bo Na gestured at her surroundings. "No one is dancing, and Siwon and Lee Teuk oppa have to go back to the studio."_

"_Sorry sorry, do you want to dance then?"_

_Bo Na looked at him like he had grown another head. "Say that again?"_

"_Do you want to dance?" Myung Soo repeated hopefully. Bo Na shook her head. "No, the first part. Sorry sorry?"_

"_Sorry sorry what?" _

_Bo Na smiled gleefully. "That's it, that's what's missing. A hook! Thank you, Myung Soo!" She ran off in a flutter of neon pink and black tulle._

"_You're welcome?" Myung Soo called out. Girls were so strange._

_He made his way back to Tan and Young Do. Tan had wandered off to sit next to Rachel, and the two of them were deep in conversation – Rachel even had a smile on her face._

_Young Do was playing the video game by himself, and Myung Soo sauntered over to the taller boy. _

"_How's it going?"_

_Young Do held up the spare video controller. "That jerk left me to defend the base by myself. Want to step in?"_

"_You mean it?" Myung Soo said eagerly._

_Young Do gave him a funny look. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it."_

"We played for only ten minutes," Myung Soo recounts, his face brightening at the memory- "but then Tan came and got him and they left to go ride motorbikes at Tan's house."

"I don't have motorbikes at my house," Eun Sang says slowly. "But Chan Young has video games, and we can go to the park, and I know where we can get free ice cream."

"I like all those things," Myung Soo says enthusiastically. "Who's Chan Young?"

Eun Sang's eyes crinkle at the corners when she smiles. "He's my best friend."

Myung Soo tilts his head. "For now."

Eun Sang bursts out laughing. "Yah, Jo Myung Soo!"

**Fall, thirteen**

Thirteen means he finally gets his own cell phone, after repeatedly bargaining with his parents for one. When he gets a passing grade on his mid-terms, thanks to a strategically placed seat behind Young Do and next to Bo Na, his mother takes him to the cell phone store to celebrate.

He shows it off in class the next day and hands it around so he can get phone numbers. Young Do scrolls down the contacts list and his eyebrows raise. "Who's Cha Eun Sang?"

"She's my friend."

"You're friends with a girl?" Young Do snorts. "That's interesting."

"She is," Myung Soo feels strangely defensive for Eun Sang. "She likes math and sleeping and she makes really good ddeokbokki."

Young Do smirks. "Impressive. Are you sure she's real?"

"She's realer than you," Myung Soo retorts, and turns around.

He sees Eun Sang on the weekends, after his Chinese lessons are over. Eun Sang taught him how to use the bus, so he takes it and meets her at her family's food stall.

Today Eun Suk noona is there too, and she ruffles his hair affectionately before leaving for her English lesson. Eun Sang stirs the bright orange ddeokbokki sauce while Myung Soo talks about his week. "So Yoo Rachel and Lee Bo Na got into this fight over a bag, and Bo Na said she was going to tell her father to cancel using the bag, and then Rachel said Mega Entertainment was too cheap for her style anyway, and then they had to call in the teachers because they started pulling each other's hair and calling each other names."

Eun Sang listens, wide-eyed as he details his classmates' every move. Eun Sang's mother hands him an odeng stick and he takes it gratefully.

"Is it like that every day?" Eun Sang asks. "How do you get anything done?"

Myung Soo blows steam off the odeng and eats it quickly. It is delicious, like everything Eun Sang's mother cooks. When he finishes, she hands him another.

"I usually don't," Myung Soo admits, then jumps when Eun Sang's mother smacks him affectionately. She signs, "What kind of example are you setting for Eun Sang?"

"Yes, what kind of example are you setting, _Oppa_?" Eun Sang asks sweetly. Myung Soo sticks his tongue out. "Yah, what about you – what's your school like?"

"Not as exciting as yours, that's for certain. We had a school picnic and then there were tests. I had so much homework to make up." Eun Sang groans. "Why can't the weekend be longer?"

"So the school children of Korea don't become too spoiled and go to school on Monday, Cha Eun Sang."

Yoon Chan Young strolls up and bows his head in greeting. "Hello, Mother. Hey, Myung Soo."

Myung Soo leaps up from his stool like an elementary school kid. "Chan Young," he crows. "I've been waiting for you!"

He grabs the other boy's arm and pulls him to the stall. "Now I'm not the only boy here."

Chan Young looks amused, but Chan Young always looks amused. His brown hair ruffles in the breeze and Myung Soo fights the urge to pet it. Chan Young – Yoon Chan Young is perfectly turned out in a way that reminds Myung Soo of people in magazines.

He's dressed in blue and grey and he fits beside Eun Sang with the ease of someone who's known her for years. Eun Sang passes him a can of cider without looking at him.

Chan Young takes it, then hands her a five hundred won coin. It flashes briefly in the sun then disappears into Eun Sang's coin purse.

She extends her palm toward Myung Soo. "That's 400 won please. Friend-discount."

Eun Sang's mother snorts, and Eun Sang makes a face at her. "Eomma! We're a business, we can't just hand out free food."

"Unless it's service," Chan Young says, and ladles himself a bowl of ddeokbokki. "We're your best customers anyway."

"I can tell my friends to come here too," Myung Soo says. "Young Do likes ddeokbokki a lot."

"Choi Young Do?" Chan Young says. "The son of Zeus Group?"

"Yes, that's him," Myung Soo says, and reaches for another stick of odeng. Eun Sang smacks his hand away and holds out her hand meaningfully.

Myung Soo rolls his eyes, and takes out his wallet. "Don't be so money hungry, Eun Sang. It's not pretty."

Eun Sang's lower lip juts out, then she sniffs. "I don't care about being pretty."

"Yah, our Eun Sang is pretty no matter what she does," Chan Young says loyally, and Eun Sang smiles at him.

Myung Soo sucks in his lower lip and looks peevishly at them. "You two are so tacky."

Chan Young just smiles.

When he leaves, Chan Young follows him to the bus stop. "Don't bring Choi Young Do around here," he says without preamble. "I mean it, Jo Myung Soo."

"Why? What's wrong with Young Do?" Myung Soo argues. "You don't even know him."  
"I know enough," Chan Young says and crosses his arms.

He suddenly looks older than thirteen, and Myung Soo finds himself standing up for his friend. "How do you even know him?"

"My father works for Jeguk Group. I've had to go to a couple of parties. Maybe you weren't there," and Chan Young's gaze is uncomfortably direct – "but your friend isn't nice."

Myung Soo wracked his brain – parties, there had been Kim Tan's birthday party but he left early because he had a dentist appointment. Then there was that boring garden party RS International sponsored – he had spent most of the time playing mini golf with Bo Na –and he couldn't remember seeing Chan Young at any of them.

"He's nice to me," he says lamely.

"Because you're the son of Seungri Law Offices. Do you think Choi Young Do would notice you otherwise?" Chan Young's voice grew soft. "I'm sorry. I just don't like him. I don't want him around Eun Sang."

"He doesn't pick on girls."

"Rich girls."

"Yah, Yoon Chan Young, how can you say such things so calmly?" Myung Soo says angrily. "That's – that's character assassination and – you're biased before the court!"

"She's my family," Chan Young says evenly. "Would you want someone to hurt your family?"

"No, of course not. But you give Young Do too much bad credit. He's not what you say he is."

"I hope you're right," Chan Young says, then taps his shoulder. "Your bus is here."

Myung Soo thinks about Chan Young's words all the way home. Young Do is prickly, and sarcastic, and sometimes his words sting uncomfortably, especially when he's telling the truth – but he's not bad like Chan Young thinks he is.

He's sure of it.

Young Do is absent again. It's his fifth absence in a month, and even Kim Tan is worried. The kids whisper about how Young Do must have done something really awful to not go to school – a backfired prank, maybe – or the rumor is that he made one of the teachers cry and he was writing a two hundred page essay as punishment – when the boy of the moment walks in and spoils everyone's theories.

Young Do sprawls on a chair and pulls out a sheet of paper from inside his jacket. "Look carefully, kids," he intones. "This paper is proof that I am better than all of you."

Tan snatches it out of his hand and skims it quickly. His mouth drops in shock. "No way, Choi Young Do. Your IQ is 150?"

Young Do smiles smugly. "I took a bunch of tests. Results came back today. I'm," and he stretches his arms over his head, "a genius."

The other students crowd around him in appreciation and not without a little envy. Myung Soo sits in his seat and just watches them. He feels proud, like it was his name on the evaluation sheet – and that'll never happen in a million years, because if there's something he hates more than studying, it's taking tests.

He meets Young Do's eyes and gives him a big thumbs up. Young Do grins.

He's just totally – orange, all over.

Myung Soo sees people as colors. Not everyone, but just the important people he needs to know. It's part of his learning process, something he does to make things make sense.

Young Do is orange, because he reminds Myung Soo of ddeokbokki and candle flame.

It's pretty right up to the moment heat touches skin.

Rachel is silver, Bo Na a pale baby pink. Chan Young is dark blue. Tan is a reddish brown – like rust or burnt copper.

It takes him a while to figure out what Eun Sang's color is – he wavers between sky blue and green before he sees it clearly – Eun Sang is white. He learns about it in science class. Sunlight is white until it meets rain, and the rain splits the light into all the different colors of the rainbow.

Eun Sang has all the colors but she doesn't notice them.

It makes him sad.

The next time Myung Soo sees Young Do, he's with Kim Tan in detention. They were caught defacing the walls in the audio visual room, with Tan drawing the Jeguk group logo in permanent ink and Young Do scrawling "Choi Young Do was here" in big block letters. Tan argues that since his family donated the equipment for the audio visual room, it was acceptable for him to point that out. Young Do just shrugs, already bored.

"What's your crime, Myung Soo?" Young Do drawls, and flicks a wadded up ball of paper at him. "Did you break the dress code? Did you smile at Yoo Rachel?" His voice lowers. "Did you get caught cheating again?"

"It was _one_ time," Myung Soo says heatedly, then relaxes when Young Do smiles at him. "Relax, Myung Soo. It doesn't really matter."

He looks at the clock and then at their dozing teacher. "I bet you we could leave now and nothing will happen."

Kim Tan jerks his head up at that, his eyes bright and focused. "Let's do it."

The two of them scramble out of their seats and Young Do cocks his head toward the doorway. "Are you coming, Myung Soo?"

He hesitates and Tan says, "He can be the look out – _come on_, Young Do," and Young Do is looking at him with this funny little smile.

As if he's daring him to come along.

Myung Soo takes a breath – then decides.

His sneakers barely make noise as he runs after them.

Young Do claps a hand on his back in approval and says, "Good thinking. Now where to?"

Myung Soo feels ridiculously happy. The afternoon stretches out before them like an open road. He checks his watch – Eun Sang must be out of school by now, she's probably at the food stall. He texts her.

Tan picks up a rock and tosses it in the air a few times. "We could go to the arcade."

Young Do shakes his head. "Can't, I'm banned for life."

"What did you do?" Myung Soo asks in awe. "Property damage?"

"A little this, a little that," Young Do answers nonchalantly. He crosses his arms. "You still haven't told me what you were in detention for."

"I forgot my homework. And my book," Myung Soo admits sheepishly. "It was the seventh time. They're going to call my parents."

He hadn't meant to. It was just – once he sat down, the letters swam around in his vision and he couldn't understand anything. It got so bad that he had to shut his eyes and take a nap.

He had tried to take notes, but then lost his notes reminding him about his homework and his book. When his teacher asked him what had happened, he couldn't explain, and it had deteriorated from there.

"Ah, I forget. Some people actually do their homework," Young Do says. "What's that like?"

"Why are you guys still talking about school?" Tan interrupts. "We can go to the batting cages or to the Galleria."

"Yah, Kim Tan!"

Tan makes a grimace. "Shit, Rachel saw us."

Young Do sighs noisily and throws up his hands. "So much for a free afternoon."

Rachel strides up to them, her face a perfect picture of reproach. "Aren't you three supposed to be in detention?"

Young Do looks around both ways then stares at Rachel. "We're not in a classroom, are we?"

She looks at him scornfully. "Choi Young Do, I expect this from you, but –" and she turns her gaze to Tan and Myung Soo. "You two are being childish."

"That's because we're children," Tan says flippantly. "We can't all be as perfect as you, Rachel."

Just for a brief moment – Myung Soo sees Rachel's lips tremble, before she draws them perfectly straight again. Her eyes spark and she glares at Tan. "Arienaittsu-no," she spits out. "Fine, get in trouble, I don't care."

"Yah, Yoo Rachel," Young Do says. "We're in Korea. Speak Japanese when you're in Japan."

"So you know that much?" Rachel sniffs. "Is that all your genius IQ retained?"

"Still jealous about that? Such a pity."

Rachel narrows her eyes. "It's not as if you put in any effort."

Young Do scratches his eyebrow. "Why should I? Everything is boring or easy."

"If it's so easy, then why don't you skip a grade?"

"Because Kim Tan would be lonely without me," Young Do says in a falsetto. "Wouldn't you, Tan-Ah?"

Tan laughs. "You know me so well."

Nauseated by their display, Rachel waves her hand imperiously. "Just leave."

"You're not going to call my parents are you?" Tan confirms. "I'll take you to that ice skating exhibit if you don't."

Rachel considers this and then shakes her head. "And the Miu Miu boutique?"

Tan's face twitches. "And the Miu Miu boutique."

"Fine, have your secretary call my secretary. She'll make the appointments."

With that, Rachel turns on her heel and walks off.

Tan holds up a warning finger. "Don't."

Young Do shrugs, innocence radiating from every pore. "I didn't say anything."

"I can hear you thinking it."

Young Do reaches out and swats Tan on his shoulder. "I think it's cute, you two negotiating."

"Shut up," Tan mumbles. "She's easy to manage as long as you offer her something she wants."

"Her future husband is going to need all the luck he can get," Young Do says, then smiles mischievously. "Maybe it'll be _you_, Tan-ah."

"_Shut up_," Tan growls, and then tackles Young Do. "That's just - gross."

Young Do grabs him in a headlock and playfully messes his hair. "What's the matter, you don't want to hold hands and eat lunch with her and hold her shopping bags?"

Tan's arm flails out and smacks Young Do in the face. "Shut up!"

Actually, Myung Soo thinks to himself, that wouldn't be so bad. Rachel is pretty. And scary, with the way she cuts people down with her eyes and a curl of her lip.

He remembers how she looked when Tan teased her, how suddenly _soft_ she seemed. That was Rachel too.

Scary, but in a different way.

They end up going to the batting cages, but its cut short when Tan's older brother comes and drags him off. Tan is yelling but Myung Soo sees him smile when he gets into the car.

Young Do whistles. "Looks like Rachel found a better offer somewhere else." He looks at his watch and curses. "Sorry Myung Soo, but I have to go now. I have to go wash dishes."

It's strange to think of Young Do doing manual labor, but then again, it's not like he's doing it for just pocket money.

Myung Soo thinks about the law offices and the possibility that one day his name will be on the door. With the way his grades are going though, he doubts it.

Young Do gives him a ride back home. As Myung Soo gets ready to get out, Young Do says "Have you tried taking pictures of the things you need to remember? Why don't you use your phone? You're checking it all the time."

Myung Soo stares at him. The answer is so simple it's laughable. Young Do just raises an eyebrow at him.

He checks his phone after greeting his housekeeper. There's a message from his mother to eat properly, and one from Eun Sang.

_Don't come. My father's in the hospital._

He calls and the automated voice tells him that the user has turned off their phone.

He worries about it all night, and calls her again the next morning.

Eun Sang answers it on the third ring. "Hi, Myung Soo."

His words come out in a rush and he doesn't care how stupid it makes him sound. "Are you okay? Is your father all right? I'm sorry for bothering you. Do you need any help?"

Eun Sang patiently answers every one of his questions. She's fine, her father is undergoing tests, and no, Myung Soo doesn't bother her. She doesn't need anything, and her voice cracks a little and Myung Soo knows for sure she's lying, but he doesn't know what to say.

"I'll come visit you later then," he promises. "Save some ddeokbokki for me, okay? Don't let Chan Young eat it all!"

"I promise nothing," Eun Sang says, but he can hear her smile.

Literature is the last class of the day and Myung Soo dreads it. Even with his new trick of photographing assignments and materials, he still feels like he's groping at a million pieces of an endless puzzle and he's missing a piece. He looks at the board and groans.

Poetry.

The teacher, a stern, humorless sort of man, smiles at them thinly as they shuffle in their seats. "Today we are going to be studying a very famous poem – a poem that all of you should know by heart by the end of this week. Yah, Choi Young Do, are you sleeping?"

Myung Soo hears Young Do's steady breathing behind him and bumps his desk. Young Do scrapes his chair back and says, "Not now I'm not."

Laughter spreads throughout the classroom, and their teacher's smile goes sharp. "You will memorize this poem by the end of the class and present it tomorrow, Choi Young Do."

"Whatever you say, Teacher." Young Do's voice sounds amused. He clears his throat and reads aloud. "Before I called her name, she was nothing more than a gesture."

He pauses. "Is this some kind of love poem?"

"That is the question I ask of all of you," their teachers says. "I want a one page response to this by the end of the week. Except for you, Young Do. Yours is due tomorrow along with your presentation."

"Great."

Myung Soo catches up with Young Do after the bell rings. The older boy stares straight ahead, his jaw set and his eyes flinty. He slams his locker shut and when Myung Soo calls him, he whirls on him angrily. "What?"

"I just wanted to know if you want to come over and we can work on the project together," Myung Soo says meekly. "We can use my parents' library and there's an intern at the office who has an English degree from Columbia University."

Young Do's gaze loses some of its steel and he says gently, "Just worry about yourself, Myung Soo."

"Do you know what you're going to write?"

"I'm not going to write it," Young Do says matter of fact. "I have other more important things to attend to. See you later."

"But –"

Young Do walks off and Myung Soo looks after him, stunned.

_We all long to be something. You, to me, and I, to you, long to become a gaze that won't be forgotten._

The answer reveals itself when Young Do is absent in class the next day. Kim Tan is missing too, but then a visitor from the office hands a note to their teacher, who reads it and harrumphs. "Kim Tan is out on a retreat with his family. How nice for him." He folds the note and then looks meaningfully at Young Do's empty seat. "I see Choi Young Do has not graced us with his presence today. Perhaps he is also on a retreat?"

The sight of Young Do's empty seat bothers Myung Soo for the rest of class.

The weather is lovely – so much that when Myung Soo sticks his head out to enjoy the sunshine, he decides to get out early and walk the rest of the way home.

He lifts his head and closes his eyes, basking in the sunshine. Someone bumps into him and he steps back. "Yah!"

The figure mutters, "Sorry," and then Myung Soo recognizes Young Do.

Except Young Do is hunched over, his arms pushed against his chest, and his hair is a messy tangle hanging in his face.

Myung Soo recoils in shock. Young Do's left eye is puffy and a dark purple bruise has started to form on his cheek. Young Do's lips are chapped and raw, and his knuckles are scraped and bruised.

"Choi Young Do, what happened?"

Young Do attempts to smile. "I fell."

"Into a brick wall?" Myung Soo asks in disbelief. "Yah, were you fighting with someone?"

"You could say that," Young Do says, then doubles over. His hand flies out and Myung Soo grabs it. "You need to go to the hospital. I'll call my driver."  
"No, don't," Young Do gasps, then stands up. He leans heavily against Myung Soo. "You can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't want other people to know okay?" Young Do breathes out. "I was just on my way to Tan's house."

"He's on a trip with his family," Myung Soo says. "Come with me."

"I don't want to go to your house either -"

"Shut up and just come with me," Myung Soo says. "I know where we can go."

Young Do keeps on asking questions during the taxi ride and Myung Soo can see the driver's curious gaze in the rearview mirror – two students, one clearly badly beaten – he knows how serious it looks.

"Just drop off us here, please –"and he pulls out his wallet. Young Do protests, but Myung Soo shoots him a glare.

Myung Soo helps Young Do out of the taxi and the other boy staggers a little bit before standing upright. He looks around. "Yah, Myung Soo, where is this place?"

"I'm taking you to my friend's house," Myung Soo says and drags him along.

"What sort of friend do you have?"

"You'll see," Myung Soo says cryptically. He looks up and down the street, searching for Eun Sang's familiar food stall.

He spots her finally – and she's the only one there, which is a stroke of good luck. He tugs at Young Do's arm. "Come this way."

Young Do follows reluctantly. His face still hurts and he's pretty sure his ribs are bruised, but the blistering pain has faded into a dull throb. He checks his surroundings – it's a bustling street but he notices there aren't many coffee shops and most of the businesses seem to be of the small variety. Children dart and weave through the crowds, and cheerful ahjummas admonish them from storefronts.

It's a far cry from the polite polish of the neighborhoods he's used to.

Myung Soo waves at him from a food stall. "Over here!"

He trudges over.

Eun Sang's eyes widen at the sight of him, but she reins in her shock and smiles politely. Young Do stares at her.

Her hair is partially obscured by a floppy lamb hat, and her cheeks are red from cold. Myung Soo finishes eating his odeng and picks up a hot dog encrusted in French fries. "Trying something new on the menu, Eun Sang?"

Eun Sang nods. "The college students really like them. Myung Soo, who is this?"

Young Do clears his throat. "I'm Choi Young Do."

At the mention of his name, Eun Sang's mouth drops open. "_You're_ Choi Young Do?"

"Why, what have you heard?" He looks at Myung Soo curiously. Myung Soo starts to choke, and Eun Sang leans over and whacks him on the back.

"Nothing," Myung Soo manages to gasp out. "I've said nothing."

"Myung Soo has mentioned you in a couple of his stories, is all," Eun Sang corrects him. "I just didn't expect you to be…"

"So handsome?" Young Do runs his non-injured hand through his fringe and pushes it out of the way.

Eun Sang rolls her eyes. "I thought you'd be taller."

"Yah, I am pretty tall. I'm still growing."

She makes a dismissive noise then turns her attention to Myung Soo. "Myung Soo, can I talk to you for a minute? By ourselves?"

"I'm hurt," Young Do says. "Also literally, as it happens."

Eun Sang fills a cup with odeng broth and thrusts it at him. "Drink this, we'll be right back."

They walk a few feet away and then Eun Sang pinches his arm. "Yah! Jo Myung Soo, what are you thinking?"

Myung Soo winces and rubs at his arm. "You saw him, he needs medical attention."

Eun Sang motions at the cart. "It's not like I'm running a hospital, Myung Soo. Why did you bring him _here_?"

Myung Soo sighs, and rubs the back of his neck. "I wasn't thinking straight – he was going to our friend's house, but that friend isn't home. And Young Do refused to go to the hospital."

"Then why not your house?"

Myung Soo's shoulders slump. "He didn't want to go there either."

"So you brought him to me? Myung Soo, my house is fifteen minutes away from here, and that's on a slow day."

"Couldn't you just bring him with you? I'll watch the stall for you."

Eun Sang looks at him as if he's sprouted two heads. "Leave you in charge?"

"Why not? I've eaten at your stall and I've seen how you and your mother run things. Where is Mother, by the way?"

"She's with Eonni at the university hospital. They're with my father," Eun Sang says. "That's why it's just me today."

"And your hat?" Myung Soo reaches for it and pets it softly. "This is new."

"Oh this," Eun Sang touches her hat and grimaces. "Eonni's boyfriend bought it for her, but she didn't like it so she gave it to me. She said it would attract more customers if I wore it. Aegyo-marketing, she calls it."

"Is it working?" Myung Soo tugs at the lamb's ears and the hat slouches crookedly on Eun Sang's head.

She bats him away. "Yah, Jo Myung Soo!"

"Aigoo, our Eun Sang is the cutest," Myung Soo coos and then shrieks as Eun Sang grabs him in a head lock.

Young Do watches them curiously. So that girl was Cha Eun Sang, Myung Soo's mystery friend? She is clearly not rich, judging by her occupation and the way she's dressed – grey baggy sweater, black jeans, _that ridiculous hat_, and plain black sneakers speaks of a life made for work, not privileged idleness.

Yet the relaxed way she touches Myung Soo and his beaming smile tells him that they are close friends, comfortable with one another despite their obvious differences.

Was it really that easy?

Myung Soo snatches the lamb hat off of Eun Sang and puts it on his own head. She laughs and pushes at his shoulders.

"Myung-Soo-ah, it suits you more than it does me!"

Myung Soo raises his hands up, palms facing down and rests his cheek against his hands, making a perfect v line. Eun Sang claps enthusiastically and gives him a thumbs up.

Young Do frowns. Did they forget about him?

"Okay, you can run the stall. I'll take Choi Young Do back to my house – call me if you have any problems." Eun Sang adjusts the hat so it fits more snugly. "Your friend looks like he wants to kick us, so we should get back."

Myung Soo looks over and shrugs. "No, that's just his usual expression."

Myung Soo reaches Young Do first and poses coquettishly. "Sorry, hyung, oh – should I call you oppa?"

Young Do's upper lip curls. "Don't call me anything."

Eun Sang holds out her hand. "Choi Young Do, do you think you could manage a little bit longer? My house is not far from here."

Young Do looks at her hand warily then looks at Myung Soo as if for confirmation. Myung Soo nods and Young Do pushes aside her hand. He shoves his in his pockets.

"Lead the way."

He feels her eyes on him as they walk, and he knows she must be curious about his face, so he deliberately stays quiet. Cha Eun Sang doesn't seem to mind though, and walks briskly by his side. When they reach a block of identical looking grey apartments, she stops and points. "I live on the fifth floor. Hopefully the elevator's working today."

It is and so he rides up with her. The sides of the elevator are covered in advertisements and fliers, and he sees a few lost and found notices taped up as well. Cha Eun Sang stands perfectly still and faces the elevator doors, her back ramrod straight.

She is only a little bit shorter than he is, and he smirks when he compares Myung Soo's height next to hers. There was a reason why everyone called him the little lawyer at school, and it wasn't because of his keen arguing ability – though he had been getting better.

"Cha Eun Sang," he says, testing the name out on his tongue. "How do you know Myung Soo?"  
She turns and looks at him, surprise brightening her features. Now that her hat is gone, he can see her face more clearly.

She has the kind of face that wouldn't be out of place advertising a bun or a fresh glass of milk – the only thing that keeps her look from being completely wholesome is the fierceness in her dark brown eyes. It makes the dimple in her chin and round cheeks seem incongruous, as if he's being glared at by a teddy bear.

"We met one day," she says simply and stares at him. "Who did this to you?"

Her directness catches him off guard and he answers, "My father," before he can take it back.

Some of the fierceness goes out of her eyes and she turns to face him properly.

"I'm sorry."

He bares his teeth in an attempted grin. "Why, did you hit me?"

Eun Sang reaches out tentatively. He grabs her hand before she can touch his face.

"We're here," she says, and the elevator doors slide open.

Eun Sang shares a room with her sister and she apologizes for the condition of the room. "Eonni's studying for her exams so she hasn't had time to clean her side of the room," Eun Sang says, and rushes around picking up stray clothes and books.

It's a small room, smaller than his bedroom at home – but it looks lived in in a way that his room does not. Black and white photographs of landscapes line one wall, while a world map hangs crookedly on another. He sees red pins sticking out from the map, most of them centered in America.

Eun Sang's arms are full of clothes and she piles them on the bed farthest from the door.

Her side of the room is tidy, her bed made and a neat stack of books rest on her table. A blue teddy bear sits in her chair, its head bowed.

He clears his throat. "It's fine."

Eun Sang picks up the bear and settles him carefully on her bed. She motions at him to sit on the newly vacated chair. "I'll get the first aid kit."

He sits gingerly, his body finally acknowledging the pain. He looks through the framed pictures on the desk – Eun Sang, Eun Sang with an older girl – that must be the sister, Eun Sang holding up a peace sign next to a man in a hospital bed. The man has the same wide set eyes as Eun Sang does, and their smiles are similar too. He guesses that the man is her father. The last picture shows Eun Sang with a woman and a boy – there's something familiar about the boy but he can't quite place it. They have their arms around each other and Young Do envies their carefree happiness. He can't remember the last time he took a picture with either of his parents. His father was always working and his mother – even though she smiled at him, _for_ him – she had been retreating to her room more often.

"Sorry I took so long, it was in a different place from before," Eun Sang announces from behind him. She sets down a bright yellow box and opens the lid. She pokes through it, selects a bottle of ointment, some band-aids, and cotton pads.

Their height is the same now that he's sitting in the chair, and she leans closer, cotton pad in hand. Young Do stiffens at her proximity, but Eun Sang doesn't notice – or doesn't care. She unscrews the cap and shakes the bottle onto the cotton pad. It smells like fermented herbs and Young Do's nose wrinkles.

She brings it closer and he hisses even before it touches him. Eun Sang frowns then grabs his chin firmly. "It's going to scar if you don't put this on," she says authoritatively. "Just try and bear it this once."

She deftly dabs at the cuts, and it _stings_ and he bites his lip to stop from crying out more. Eun Sang reaches for the band-aids and unwraps one. She peels it from its sterilized backing and carefully places it on his forehead.

"Just a few more, are you all right?" She asks, and puts on another band-aid. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

He holds up his hands and Eun Sang's mouth thins into a tight line. "I'm sorry," she repeats and Young Do shakes his head.

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because I can't say the things I really want to say to you," she says and sticks the band-aid on his hand. "I've just met you."

"You can say whatever you want, I don't care –" and Eun Sang grips his hand tightly. "This isn't right, what he's done to you," she says fiercely. "I don't know what happened, but this is not right."

Her concern is alien and uncomfortable, and he clenches his fist against his pants.

"What if I deserve it," he says. "What can you do about it?"

Eun Sang drops his hand and he feels a pang of loss. "You're just a kid like me," he says, and then coolly surveys their surroundings. "Well, not _exactly_ like me."

Eun Sang closes the first aid kit. "No one deserves this, not even you, Choi Young Do."

Her tone is politely detached and he knows he's offended her. "I meant…."

"Let's go back. I'm worried about Myung Soo."

"He'll be fine," he says, a little too loudly. "It's not like he's an elementary school kid."

The look she gives him is full of reproach – but it's better than pity, he decides. "I need to go back to work."

"Where are your parents?" Young Do gets out of the chair and walks stiffly to the door. His chest and ribs still feel tender, but he doesn't want to check them at Eun Sang's house.

"Where are yours?" Eun Sang shoots back.

"Ouch," he says, and puts his hand over his heart. "Point made."

A flash of contrition passes over her features, and he leans in. "Don't say you're sorry. I don't accept apologies very well."

She snorts. "Let's go."

There's a mass of people gathered around the stall when they get back, and Eun Sang has to push her way through the crowd.

Myung Soo is dancing and singing in front of her family's stall, his movements getting increasingly exaggerated. He points finger guns at her when he sees her, and she smiles and points back.

"Come dance with me," he calls. "For the grand finale."

The crowd cheers them on enthusiastically, and Eun Sang pauses for a moment before she runs toward him.

Myung Soo grabs her hands and swings her around. Eun Sang spins out, her hair flying perfectly around her face. Myung Soo reels her back in then dips her. Eun Sang starts laughing and can't stop. Myung Soo grins and brings her into a hug.

The crowd roars their approval.

Young Do watches them. Myung Soo takes off the lamb hat and presents it to Eun Sang with a flourish. She accepts it with a curtsy, and puts it on.

He feels an ache in his chest and he's not completely certain it's from the beating.

Young Do is quiet during the taxi ride home and Myung Soo pokes at him. "Young Do, do you have indigestion? Do you want me to stop at a pharmacy?"

"Stop nagging, you're not my mom," Young Do says without heat and looks out the window.

"What did you and Eun Sang talk about?" Myung Soo was dying of curiosity – Eun Sang hadn't been very forthcoming on the subject of Young Do, but she showed her appreciation when she saw the overflowing cash box.

"_You can eat here free for a month," she said._

"_Cha Eun Sang, I never knew you were so cheap," Myung Soo complained. "I danced my heart out for you."_

_Eun Sang rolled her eyes. "Fine, you can eat here free any time."_

"_That's more like it!"_

"We didn't. She bandaged me up and that's it." Young Do says.

"What did you think?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because I want my two friends to like each other, that's why!" Myung Soo pouts and sinks back into his seat. "I want you to get along."

"Do you really think you can be friends with a girl?"

"Why not? Don't you think Eun Sang's pretty cool?"

Young Do considers this carefully, and then sighs. "For a girl, I guess."

"You'll get used to her," Myung Soo says reassuringly.

"Yah, don't go planning future events with me," Young Do says. "Today was a onetime happening."


	2. age 14

**Spring, Fourteen**

Myung Soo drops his Chinese lessons in favor of taking photography classes. His parents are unhappy until he wins first place in a local competition. Myung Soo's photograph of his mother is hung in a gallery in Insadong, and his parents save and frame the newspaper article. It takes up pride of place next to his parents' degrees in their office.

For Myung Soo, looking through the viewfinder is his way of finding order in a chaotic world. He can frame and compose the perfect shot using just his eye and the natural elements. And if he messed up, well, he could always just stand back and shoot again.

He likes taking pictures of people the best.

His first subjects are his family, then he begins taking his camera to school and shooting candids of his classmates and friends.

It becomes a regular sight in the school hallways: Myung Soo and his camera going from class to class. It becomes second nature for the students to pose whenever they see Myung Soo, so much so that he complains about it to Young Do.

"My pictures aren't candid anymore, everyone just expects me to take their picture now!"

Young Do looks up from folding his paper airplane. "So stop taking pictures."

Myung Soo splutters indignantly. "I can't do that, I have to capture the perfect moment!"

Young Do scoffs. "How would you even know what the perfect moment is?"

"I don't know, so I have to keep on trying," Myung Soo admits, then his face brightens. He picks up his camera.

Young Do raises his eyebrows as the flash goes off.

Young Do has been spending more time with him recently, and while he's happy about the development in their friendship, he wonders where Kim Tan is. When Tan's at school, Young Do rarely leaves his side. It was common to see them strolling around school grounds with a group of hanger-ons trailing behind – boys from less prominent families, all jockeying to be the third in line.

Myung Soo's never overestimated his place in the scheme of things – his family's role was to stay above the fray, on the right side of the law, and make adjustments when necessary.

With Jeguk Group constantly buying up land and making development deals and Zeus Group's rapid expansion into the rest of Asia, it will be only a matter of time before their power rivals that of Samsung and Lotte. His parents talk about it sometimes at dinner, how inevitable that South Korea would be divided among the four major companies.

He wonders if Tan and Young Do ever think about their part in the world their parents are building.

For now, he just watches the world pass by until he clicks the shutter.

Monday afternoon. Lunch time. He's poking half-heartedly at the remains of his sandwich – his mother had gotten the idea that she needed to cook one meal every day, and today's experiment was potato salad on garlic bread. The sweetness of the garlic bread jarred horribly with the chunky potatoes and he felt nauseous.

"Eomma, please forgive me," he says solemnly and bows toward the sandwich. He picks it up and walks to the trash can to throw it away. On his way back to his bench, he glances casually around the court yard.

Everyone is in their usual spot save for one lone figure – Lee Bo Na.

She's sitting with her hands folded in her lap, eyes closed, head softly bobbing to a melody only she can hear – possibly because she's wearing headphones.

The sunshine streams gently over her still form and dust motes dance in her hair. She looks perfectly serene and Myung Soo lifts his camera up.

Click.

When he gets the picture developed later, it is a small masterpiece of light and composition – Bo Na stands out from her surroundings, the sunlight scattered over her like flakes of gold. She looks like a modern day forest spirit clothed in brown and green. Her dark green hair ribbon complements her glossy hair – which shines like a magpie's wing.

Only her headphones keep the photograph from looking like something out of a fairy tale.

It's the best picture he's taken so far, and he leaves a copy of it in Bo Na's locker.

She comes to him after class, her eyes shining and her hands outstretched. "Jo Myung Soo, did you take this picture?" She holds it up and preens. "I always knew I was pretty, but this is so pretty. Yah, you're really talented."

Her childish enthusiasm makes him laugh. "Well I had a good model."

Bo Na rests her hand against her cheek. "This is really good. Could you shoot more pictures like this? I want to show my father – we could always use new photographers. Who knows, you could work at Mega some day!"

Myung Soo feels his heart race. "Really?"

Bo Na nods at him. "With me as a model, you can't fail."

"Then when should we meet?"

Bo Na slips the photo into her purse and pulls out her phone. She flips it open and looks at it attentively – "Hmmm, I can reschedule my dance class to later. How about after school, tomorrow? I'll bring everything and we can use one of the practice rooms at Mega."

"I'll see you there then."

"Good. See you later, Myung Soo."

He tells Young Do about it over ddeokbokki and ramyun at a snack bar near school. He feels mildly disloyal about not eating at Eun Sang's, but it's too far away and Eun Sang hasn't been answering her text messages lately. That girl, he really needs to talk to her about her phone manners.

"I think I might have found the perfect moment, Young Do," Myung Soo says and then slurps a mouthful of noodles.

Young Do purses his mouth and shoves a stack of napkins at him. "So noisy."

"But that's how you know it's good," Myung Soo protests. He sips quietly at his broth. "I mean, it was like the planets all lined up and God shone a flash light on me. Or the sun shone on me. It was perfect."

"Are you telling me its _fate_?"

"What else could it be? Bo Na really looks so much prettier these days, don't you think? I don't know why I never noticed it before."

"Probably because she never shuts up about how pretty she is," Young Do says dryly. "If she wasn't actually pretty, it'd be annoying."

He pauses to think about it. "No, it's still annoying."

"Yah, our Bo Na is an angel," Myung Soo says heatedly.

Young Do rolls his eyes. "Since when was she yours? And Myung Soo, fate is the lazy person's excuse for doing something they wanted to do the whole time."

"You have no romance in your soul," Myung Soo says dramatically.

Young Do spears a cubed radish with his fork and waves it at him menacingly. "Shut up and just eat."

_Tan had sounded distracted and strange when he called to ask about coming over, and he was sure he heard the sound of a woman crying. It reminded him too much of his home. He touched his cheek gingerly and winced. This time he had managed to get his mother safely ensconced in her bedroom before his father struck._

_His mother had heard everything and begged to come out, but he held the door knob firmly._

_He managed to get away with only a minor beating this time – and he ran out of the house, taking care to avoid the servants._

_He remembered the address Myung Soo used last time and flagged down the first taxi he saw._

_When he got out, he was temporarily disoriented. He shut his eyes and visualized the streets he saw before, and opened his eyes. His feet did the rest._

_Cha Eun Sang was by herself again, this time sans lamb hat. She was reading a book and sipping a carton of banana milk._

_He cleared his throat. Eun Sang's eyes did not leave her book and she said automatically, "I'll be right with you. Do you know what you want to eat?"_

"_Yah, Cha Eun Sang. What if I was a real customer?"_

_Eun Sang dropped her book and looked at him. Her eyebrows shot up. "Choi Young Do, I'm not a hospital. Are you a gang member? Why does your face look like that again?"_

_Though even as she scolded him, she got out of her chair and walked closer. She studied his face. "Less serious than last time – come on," and she grabbed his hand._

_Eun Sang had a surprisingly strong grip as she towed him behind her. Eun Sang walked into one of the side shops and called out to the ahjumma behind the counter. "Ahjumma, can you please watch my stall? I need to go on an errand."_

_The ahjumma nodded, clearly used to Eun Sang's request. Her eyes flickered to Young Do, and she asked, "Who's this, Eun Sang? Is he a school friend?"_

_Eun Sang bowed her head politely. "No, we don't go to the same school."_

_Young Do couldn't resist. Maybe it was the way Eun Sang was holding onto his hand, so easily as if he was just anybody. He slung his arm around her. "Actually, ahjumeoni, Eun Sang is my girlfriend."_

_Eun Sang looked at him in horror._

_He steered the frozen Eun Sang back to the main street, where she revived and smacked him hard on his shoulder. _

"_Yah! Cha Eun Sang!"_

_She glared at him. "How could you say that? People talk around here, she's going to tell my mother!"_

"_It was just a joke. Do you want me to go back and tell her?"_

_Eun Sang sighed. "It's too late, I'll just have to deal with it later. Let's fix your face."_

_She led him into a convenience store and scanned through the aisles, picking up various items and checking the prices. Young Do held the basket as Eun Sang tossed in band-aids, a packet of wet tissue, a bottle of water, and most curious of all – two wrapped rice balls. She added a can of iced coffee at the register and reached for her wallet, when Young Do slid his bank card across the counter. "Use that," he instructed the cashier._

_They left the store, Young Do carrying the sack. Eun Sang walked over to the seating area and patted the table. "Over here."_

"_Do you do this often? It seems like you're used to this." Young Do indicated the sack. "I'm disappointed I'm not the only one."_

_Eun Sang tossed one of the rice balls at him. "Eat this," and she handed him the can, "hold this against your bruise."_

"_Yes, Doctor," he replied in a sing song tone. "Seriously, though Cha Eun Sang – "_

"_My best friend used to be beaten by bullies at school, so I would do this for him. Then I beat them up and they left him alone."_

_Young Do's lips curled in a sneer. "He lets a girl fight for him?"_

"_We were nine. Anyway, Chan Young can take care of himself now."_

"_Are you suggesting I can't?" Young Do settled the can on the table and peeled open the wrapper. "I have a bit of a height and weight disadvantage."_

"_That's not what I meant. It's your father again?"_

_Young Do's smile was bitter. "He's the only who can get away with beating me."_

"_What about your mother – can't she do anything?"_

"_Why do you think I let him beat me?"_

_Eun Sang fell silent at that._

_After Young Do finished eating, he opened the box of band-aids. "Aish, Cha Eun Sang, these are Pororo band-aids. I'm not wearing this on my face."_

"_You would rather scar?"_

_Young Do waved his hand dismissively. "I can get plastic surgery."_

"_You'd let someone cut into your face to fix a scar." Eun Sang stared at him. "Wear the band-aid."_

"_Only if you wear one too."_

"_I'm not hurt anywhere -"_

_Young Do reached out and pinched her wrist. Eun Sang yelped. Young Do smiled. "Wear the band-aid."_

_Eun Sang narrowed her eyes, then kicked him underneath the table. Young Do hissed._

_She picked up a band-aid. "Fine, I'll wear it."_

_They walked back to the stall, each lost in their own thoughts. Young Do limped ostentatiously, but when he noticed Eun Sang wasn't looking at him, walked normally._

_When they were within earshot of the ahjumma, Young Do said loudly, "Cha Eun Sang, let's break up. You're a terrible date. What kind of girlfriend talks about another boy in front of her boyfriend?"_

_He leaned in and whispered in Eun Sang's ear. "There, we're even now."_

Young Do keeps the band-aids tucked in the corner of his top drawer. When he gets dressed for school every morning, he sees them and smiles.

Cha Eun Sang is a weird girl, but at least she is interesting.

It must be love. Myung Soo is sure of it. The way Bo Na's face lights up when she sees him, how she laughs at everything he says – she is delight and youth and eternal spring in the form of a girl. He likes the way her hair curves smoothly around her face, and the glimpse of gold and silver balls decorating her ear lobes. He likes the cherry pink of her lip gloss, the obvious care she takes in her accessories and clothes. He likes her smile, the even straight whiteness of her teeth, the adorable way she nibbles on her lip when she's deep in thought.

Bo Na is a perfect model, following his directions easily and smoothly – and when the session is over, bounds over to him like an excited puppy. "Can I see the pictures now?"

"I need to upload them to my notebook first, but you can check the previews now," Myung Soo says, flustered by her presence. Bo Na playfully shoves his shoulder. "Bring your notebook next time, so I can see everything properly."

"Yes, Sir," Myung Soo mock salutes and Bo Na wrinkles her nose. "Yah, its _Miss_, not Sir," she corrects him in impeccable English.

"Ah, right." Myung Soo fidgets with his camera some more until he finds the preview menu. "Here we go."

Bo Na peers over his shoulder, and she's so close he can smell the scent of soap and perfume and he feels dizzy.

She nudges him to press the controls and he does, scrolling through the photos until she tells him to stop.

"There, that one, zoom in –" she directs and Myung Soo looks at the picture she's selected. Bo Na is lying down, gazing directly into the camera. She's wearing a light pink dress with miniature multicolored flowers printed all over it. He remembers it took exactly three tries to get that one shot – and her expression remains his favorite part of the whole picture. There's the barest hint of a smile and her eyes are wide and dark.

"You like this one?"

"Can you print it so I can have an extra copy?" Bo Na twirls a lock of hair around her finger and looks pensive. "Actually, two. One so I can show my father your work, and another one –" she dimpled, and Myung Soo catches his breath – "I can give to Kim Tan."

"What?" Myung Soo wonders if he heard right.

Bo Na looks at him with stars in her eyes. "You're Kim Tan's good friend, right? Do you know what he likes?"

Young Do has the decency to not laugh for at least five minutes when Myung Soo admits the whole sorry state of things. Then his nose crinkles and he grins widely. "So she was using you this entire time to get close to Tan-ah?"

"My first love, gone like that in an instant," Myung Soo says mournfully. He frowns at Young Do. "Yah, what does Kim Tan have that I don't?"

Young Do picks up a dumpling with his chopsticks and bites into it. He chews and swallows. "He's taller than you," he says.

Myung Soo huffs. "That's genetics, I mean, what _else_ does he have?"

He props up his face with his hands and looks pensive. "Bo Na said he was pretty, and tall, and _dreamy_," Myung Soo chokes out. "What does that even mean?"

"Sounds like she wants to play house," Young Do says. "Forget it, Myung Soo. Girls are not worth the trouble."

Myung Soo shakes his head, stubbornly. "No, I have to remember this pain. I need a witness to my heart break." He picks up a sign pen and scribbles on the wallpaper. "Farewell, Lee Bo Na."

Young Do shakes his head. "You can't even curse her?"

Myung Soo sighs. "She's my first love, you wouldn't understand."

"You were in love for a week," Young Do points out. "Forgive me if I don't think that's newsworthy."

"It was more than a week," Myung Soo says defensively. "It was a beautiful moment," and he counts off in his head, "and it was nine days, so there."

"Oh, of course."

"You just wait until _you _fall in love," Myung Soo says darkly. "Then I'll laugh at you."

"That's not going to happen," Young Do says.

"Me laughing at you or you falling in love?"

"Both," Young Do says. He leans back in his chair and smiles beatifically. "It's a chemical reaction."

Eun Sang holds her mother's hand and listens carefully to the doctor. The doctor looks at her kindly and then says, "Is there no one else who can be here today?"

"My older sister is at school, and my friend's father is at work," Eun Sang says. "It would take too long for my mother to write what she wants to ask."

"I see." The doctor picks up his clipboard and then puts it down again. He swivels his computer monitor so that Eun Sang and her mother can see the charts.

"The treatment is no longer working on your husband, Park-sshi. The cancer has reached stage four and has spread to his other lung."

Eun Sang's mother makes a little gasp, and squeezes her hand. Eun Sang looks at the monitor and tries to make sense of the x-rays. "So what does that mean, Doctor?"

"It means that your father – his body is no longer responding to the medicine. At this point, all we can do is make sure he's not in too much pain."

"There's nothing you can do for him? Nothing at all?" Eun Sang's voice grows shrill, and her mother squeezes her hand in warning. "What is going to happen to my father?"

Doctor Park sighs, and Eun Sang knows the words he's about to say and wills it so he doesn't. She looks down at the smooth wood finish of his table.

"I'm sorry, Eun Sang. It's just a matter of time."

Eun Sang doesn't remember how she and her mother leave the hospital, if her mother holds her hand or if she's the one holding on, or how they get home. It's just one long blank from Doctor Park saying, "It's just a matter of time."

_Appa is dying._ Eun Sang repeats it to herself. Not years from now, but _now _– the doctor says it could be months or weeks, depending on how much he fights the cancer.

_Appa is tired._ She sees it when she visits him, when he struggles to sit up to say hello. He's lost so much weight and his skin feels like paper. He's already fought so hard – she squeezes her eyes shut and tries to conjure up an image of him before the cancer hollowed him out.

Her eyes are like his, and so is her nose. "Ah, but it looks much cuter on you," he'd say, and tweak the tip of it. "I'm glad I only had daughters."

_Appa is sorry. _Eun Sang doesn't speak, just lays her head against the stiff hospital sheets and listens to the steady sound of her father's breathing. He strokes her hair. "Look after your mother and sister, Eun Sangie. Listen to your mother and help your sister when she needs it."

She nods her head against the sheets and her father sighs. "I wish…" and he trails off. Eun Sang looks up at her father. "What, Appa?"

Her father's eyes are glassy with tears.

"I wish I had more time."

"Me too."

Her mother tells her to call Chan Young's father when she's finished.

"Why?"

_Because he was regretful that he couldn't be there earlier. Please, Eun Sang._

"It's not like he can save Appa," Eun Sang says, but relents when she sees her mother's disappointed face. "I'm sorry, Eomma."

Chan Young is making a list of all the subjects he needs to brush up on for the entrance exam to Jeguk. His father had presented the idea a few days ago, and he's thought it through. He knows what the opportunity means for his future, to his family's future. The only thing he regrets is not being able to go to high school with Eun Sang.

There's a knock on the door, and Chan Young lifts his head from his studies. "Come in, Appa."

His father pokes his head around the door, his expression grave. "Chan Young, would it be okay if Eun Sang came and stayed overnight?"

Eun Sang hasn't slept over since they were ten years old, and that was when Eun Suk noona had an emergency appendectomy. Chan Young gets up in alarm. "What's wrong?"

"Her father's cancer has spread. The doctor estimates he might have five months left, maybe less."

"Oh no," Chan Young says and grips the back of his chair. "How's Eun Sang?"

"She sounded very calm on the phone –"

"That just means she's lying about how sad she is," Chan Young interrupts. "You know Eun Sang never cries if she can help it."

"Stubborn girl," his father says affectionately. "So I'll go get her, and you prepare her room. I'll pick up pizza for dinner. Do you want anything special?"

"Sweet potato in the crust," Chan Young says immediately. "And Milkis for Eun Sang, she likes to drink it with pizza."

"Done and done," his father says. "We'll be back soon."

Eun Sang and his father come back thirty minutes later. Eun Sang is holding a liter of Milkis and her backpack, while his father is loaded down with pizza, salad and chicken wings. Chan Young helps his father set up in the kitchen while Eun Sang goes to the guest room.

When she comes out, dinner is ready and waiting for her. Chan Young serves her a slice of pizza while his father doles out chicken wings onto everyone's plates.

It's a solemn affair, with no one really saying anything, until Chan Young puts down his fork. "Eun Sang, are you really okay?"

Eun Sang tries to smile. "I'm more worried about Eomma."

"You know your family only has to ask, and we'll help you," Chan Young's father says warmly. "Any time."

Eun Sang nods. "I know."

She volunteers to do the dishes, but Chan Young's father waves her away. "Go play," he says. "Chan Young's been looking a bit pale lately, he's been studying too hard."

Eun Sang looks uncertain, then reaches out and places her hand on his forearm. "Yoon-sshi, thank you so much for everything. I don't know how we'll pay you back, but I'll make sure of it."

He ruffles her hair. "Ah, Eun Sangie, don't think of it. Your parents were very kind and helped me when Chan Young's mother died. And you have been helping my boy ever since – consider this as a thank you for your family's kindness."

His words settle over her like a warm blanket and Eun Sang gives him a grateful smile.

Chan Young is waiting for her in the guest bedroom when she comes in, his body splayed out on the bed. He tosses his blue bear – a twin of hers – at her head, and she catches him.

"Chan Young, why are you tossing our Haneul around? Should I just take him and keep him with his brother?"

"Perhaps? I'm too old to have a teddy bear." Chan Young laughs at Eun Sang's expression. "I'm kidding, you can't take him."

"Such a neglectful hyung," Eun Sang sighs and sits on the bed. "I should save him from you."

Chan Young pulls her down so she's lying on the bed too. "Cha Eun Sang, worry about yourself for once," he says quietly. "Are you really okay?"

Eun Sang turns to look at him and he sees she's on the verge of tears. "Chan Young, when your mother – how could you bear it?"

"It was hard," Chan Young admits. "It's still hard. You don't stop missing the person even when time passes."

"I feel so-" Eun Sang gulps and wipes at her eyes angrily. "So small and _useless_."

Chan Young reaches out and threads her fingers with his. "Don't forget to ask me for help when you need it, Eun Sang. I mean it. Don't feel like you have to carry this all by yourself."

"But I don't want to have to rely on you all the time," Eun Sang says. "You and your father have already done so much for my family."

"That's what families are supposed to do, silly," Chan Young says and shakes her hand. "I seem to remember a girl who chased all the bigger kids and threw dirt in their faces so I could have a normal day in school."

"What a trouble maker," Eun Sang murmurs. "I wonder how she grew up."

Chan Young flicks her lightly on the forehead. "Very well indeed."

"Chan Young?" Eun Sang closes her eyes. "I'm so lucky that I met you."

"As long as you know it," Chan Young teases. His voice becomes serious. "Eun Sang?"

"Hmm?"

"Every day you have left with your father is precious now," Chan Young whispers. "Be sure to make memories."

_He heard the sound of his mother crying. It was two hours past his bedtime and he knew his parents thought he was asleep, but the walls were thin in the apartment and he could hear the soft muffled sobs. Then he heard his father's voice – it was soothing and deep, the voice he used when he read to Chan Young at night._

_He was repeating his wife's name over and over._

_Then Chan Young heard his mother say, "I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave my baby."_

_He swallowed then backed away. He curled up on his bed, hugging his knees._

_The next morning at breakfast, Chan Young stared at his rice. His father came by and ruffled his hair. "It's not going to eat itself, Chan Young."_

"_I don't want to go to school." Chan Young said in a small voice._

"_What? Why?"_

"_I want to stay with Eomma." Chan Young pushed his rice away and stared at his father in defiance. "I don't want to go."_

_His father's eyes widened, then he knelt down and faced his son. "Did you hear us last night?"_

_Chan Young nodded his head._

"_Chan Young, you're not supposed to listen to walls," his father scolded gently. _

"_Don't care. I don't want to leave Eomma."_

_His father's gaze softened and he pulled Chan Young into a hug. "I know. She doesn't want to leave us either. But you know, what would make your mother happy? If you went to school."_

"_But -" _

"_She'll be here when you come back, I promise." His father held out his pinky finger. "Will you go to school?"_

_Chan Young wrapped his finger around his father's hesitantly. "Eomma will be here?"_

"_Yes."_

_That had been the beginning of the bullying for him – he became quiet and withdrawn at school and an easy target._

_One particularly bad day, he had looked at the head bully in a less than placating way, and the boy had grabbed his hair and given him a bloody nose when he heard a shrill, "YAH, what do you think you're doing to our Chan Young?"_

_It had been Eun Sang. When the bully sneered at her, asking what she would do about it, Eun Sang narrowed her eyes, grabbed his collar and head butted him._

_The bully's mother later complained to the school. Eun Sang got sent home, but was back the next day. After Chan Young's father requested to look at the CCTV footage, the bully quietly transferred to a different school._

_He took Chan Young and Eun Sang out for ice cream._

_School got better after that._

_He would rush home from classes and run to greet his mother. Every day was the same routine – drop his backpack in the hallway, take off his shoes, then run into his mother's room. It was the one with the most sunlight, and she would be sitting up in bed, waiting for him, arms outstretched._

"_What happened today at school?"_

_Sometimes Eun Sang would come home with him, and stand shyly by the door while he hugged his mother – gently now because he could feel her bones – and then he remembered and waved Eun Sang over. Then his mother would hug them both, and run her hand over Eun Sang's thick shining hair and say how pretty it was. _

_The best times were the weekends when his father had free time and they spent the day together. His mother taught him how to make friendship bracelets, while his father cooked and told him stories about when he was young._

_Near the end, when Eomma had to stay at the hospital instead of home, he would visit after school. The bullying had stopped completely now, due to a combination of Eun Sang's persuasive tactics and his own growth spurt. _

_His mother died a few months later, and all he remembered from the funeral service was Eun Sang's hand holding his._

Chan Young lifts Eun Sang's hand and squeezes it. "Eun Sang, do you want to do something?"

"What?"

"Let's go to my room. I need to get something."

Hand in hand, they walk the short distance to Chan Young's room. They separate and Eun Sang leans against the door frame and looks on as Chan Young searches through his shelves. He picks up a box and peeks inside. "Found it!"

"I surprised it took you even that long," Eun Sang says. "You're so organized."

"Sometimes I don't fold my laundry for a whole hour, just to be careless," Chan Young deadpans. "Anyway, do you remember those friendship bracelets my mother used to make?"

"Oh I loved those – I always thought they were so pretty."

"I'm going to teach you how to make them. My mother left me all of her supplies."

They spend the next hour picking through the brightly colored skeins of thread and Chan Young patiently explains the different types of braids and their levels of difficulty. Eun Sang decides to go with the easiest style first – the classic braid. She picks a bundle of colors – blue, red, green, black, white and yellow. Chan Young looks at her pile. "Are you using all of those colors in one bracelet?"

"No, I'm planning on making more than one." Eun Sang separates the blue, green and white threads first. "So this will just be like braiding hair, right?"

"You've got the idea." Chan Young selects his own colors and starts to braid.

The repetitive action of braiding the thread one strand over the other is surprisingly soothing, and Eun Sang feels her fingers deftly following the pattern.

"That's it," Chan Young says approvingly. "You're a natural at this, Eun Sang."

They braid until Eun Sang's eyelids begin to flutter and her head tips forward. She forces herself to stay awake, then hears Chan Young yawn.

He holds up his bracelet. "Are you almost finished?"

"Just a little bit more," she says and then ties the final knot in her bracelet. "Done!"

She beckons at Chan Young. "Give me your wrist."

"We seem to have the same idea," Chan Young grins and holds out his right arm. She ties her bracelet around his wrist. When she's done, Chan Young ties his bracelet around her left wrist.

They admire each other's handiwork – then Chan Young rocks back on his heels and yawns again. "I'm going to go to bed now. Don't stay up too late, Eun Sang."

"I won't," she promises.

Chan Young drops her off at her apartment early the next morning, and her mother fusses over him.

_Our Chan Young is so tall now, and so handsome. He looks just like his father._

Chang Young follows along and at the mention of his father, ducks his head and smiles. Eun Sang wrinkles her nose and signs, "You're going to give him a big head, Eomma."

"Yah, Cha Eun Sang, let your mother praise me if she wants."

"Just trying to keep you humble – Yoon Chan Young, isn't it bad enough that you're going to leave me for Jeguk? Who will eat with me at lunchtime now?"

Eun Sang keeps her tone light, but Chan Young looks stricken anyway. "My father told you?"

"I saw the books – you didn't hide them very well last night. Really, Chan Young – I'm excited for you."

"I might not get in – my father's connections only go so far, the Chairman says I need to achieve a certain score."

Eun Sang scoffs. "There hasn't been an exam invented that you haven't done well on."

"Let's hope the administration agrees with you," Chan Young says, then taps her shoulder. "Anyway, that won't be for another two weeks. Let's pretend everything is normal and forget about it –" and too late, he remembers Eun Sang's father.

He bites his lip. "I mean—"

Eun Sang waves it away. "Yah," she says quietly. "Don't forget me when you get in to Jeguk and start befriending rich kids, okay?"

Chan Young holds up his wrist. "How can I?"

Myung Soo frowns at the screen and deletes his text. He tries again. "Greetings, Cha Eun Sang. Have you forgotten me? Or has your phone been stolen? It's Myung Soo."

He's concentrating so hard he doesn't see Young Do reading over his shoulder.

"Why don't you just add hearts while you're at it?" Myung Soo yelps and nearly steps on Young Do's feet. "Choi Young Do, you need to warn people when you're that close!"

"Are you writing something naughty to Cha Eun Sang? Are you two that familiar?" Young Do jokes, but there's something off about his expression.

"I'm just worried – she hasn't answered any of my calls and she only replies to texts with one word responses."

"Maybe she's just busy," Young Do offers, and opens his locker. "She's probably working all the time."

"Then she would tell me that – she usually does," Myung Soo says. "I don't get it."

His brow furrows. "Is it another boy – yah, I bet its Chan Young monopolizing all of her time. Aish, that guy."

"Who?"

"Yoon Chan Young – have you met him? His father works for Jeguk group."

Young Do raises an eyebrow. "Well _that_ narrows down the field. What department?"

Myung Soo tilts his head to the side, his face a study in concentration. He brightens. "He's his lead secretary. He handles all the day to day things."

"Hmm, a secretary's son," Young Do muses. "No, I can't say I remember Yoon Chan Young."

"He's Cha Eun Sang's oldest friend," Myung Soo says.

"This girl, does she even know any other females? All her friends are boys." Young Do says wryly.

"You know, I never asked. Why, is that a problem?" Myung Soo's face grows worried. "She'd tell me if she had a boyfriend, right? I can't handle any more betrayal."

The sight of Bo Na boldly sitting next to Kim Tan at lunch was still a tender spot – and Rachel's expression could have cut glass. Tan is oblivious to the sudden tension at the table, and Young Do smirked all through it.

"It's not a problem. I just want to know the probability," Young Do says airily. "I'll see you later, Myung Soo. Same spot as last time."

"The convenience store _again_?" Myung Soo sighs. "I don't understand why you like it there so much. Once in a while, I get it – but – yah, Choi Young Do, probability of what?"

He yells at Young Do's departing back. The only indication that the other boy hears him is the one arm he lifts in response.

Myung Soo returns his attention to his phone. "Call me please. What's wrong?"

He presses send.

He doesn't get a reply until later that evening, after he's finished eating dinner.

_My father is dying._

Eun Sang's phone vibrates as she's doing her homework. She flips open her phone and reads the text.

"I'm sorry. What can I do? Do you need anything?"

_Do you have a time machine?_

"No, but my parents have friends who work at KAIST. I could always ask. Anything else?"

_You don't need to do anything. I was joking about the time machine._

"I know. Can we meet soon? I miss you."


	3. age 15

**Fifteen, spring**

Fifteen feels different than fourteen. It feels – like he's holding his breath and waiting for _something_, but he's not sure of what.

Perhaps it was the thought of starting high school in a few weeks that had him feeling so restless – everyone he knew was going to Jeguk, and his parents had made a donation to the library. Tan's mother had personally invited all of the parents to a welcoming seminar and spoke at length about the achievements and amenities her school provided. There had an enviable list of accolades printed out in the brochure, more impressive considering the short history the school had.

His mother comes home with a twenty page brochure, his new school uniform, and plenty of gossip. He learned which mother had gotten plastic surgery, how much the new auditorium was going to cost, and when drop off times were – though according to his mother, with the amount of fees Jeguk was charging, a private limo service should have been included.

His mother stops talking when she sees the expression on his face. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. All your friends are going to be there and it'll just be like middle school!"

Myung Soo hopes his mother is wrong in that regard, because the last few months of middle school were _awful_.

First, Tan and Bo Na had split up, and if the atmosphere was awkward before, it became nearly impossible afterwards. There seemed to be an undeclared line drawn through the school – Tan or Bo Na. Rachel was on Tan's side, naturally, and Myung Soo felt it was expected for him to be on Bo Na's side as she was his first love – but he remembered the way they looked strolling hand in hand around school like no one else existed, and he wasn't proud of it but his heart was a petty thing.

Young Do took no one's side, and only rolled his eyes when Bo Na confronted him about it. "Did he promise you things? Did he say he was going to love you forever? If he didn't, then where was the harm done?"

Bo Na reeled back as if Young Do had physically attacked her. "You're the _worst_, Choi Young Do," she hissed. "You'll never know what love is like!"

Young Do rubbed his brow. "Why does everyone keep on saying that to me? As if _I'm_ to blame for their failures."

"She didn't even_ notice_ I was here," Myung Soo said mournfully. "It's like I'm invisible."

Young Do looked at him in annoyance. "All these feelings over _Lee Bo Na_. And you say love is something I want to happen to me?"

Bo Na's mood swings contrasted with Tan's calm. Aside from a few days where he looked tired and paler than normal, the loss of Bo Na from his side didn't seem to affect him at all. It infuriated Bo Na and made Myung Soo wonder – what exactly was underneath Tan's placid exterior.

Maybe he hadn't been in love with Bo Na at all.

It wasn't any of his business, really.

Bo Na returned all of his pictures in a black portfolio – _like your heart_ and told him that in a few more years, there'd be a job opportunity at Mega Entertainment. "That is, if you want it," she said with a toss of her hair. "My father said you had a good eye."

"They were a gift," he said and pushed the portfolio back at her. "Really. I insist."

He's not so naïve anymore.

Eun Sang remarks on the changes in his personality when they meet in front of the convenience store. Young Do's inside, buying something – probably ramyun, and they're waiting for him outside.

"Is everything all right? You seem quieter these days."

He shrugs. "I've had a lot on my mind lately." He looks at her. "How are _you_ feeling?"

Eun Sang gifts him with a small smile. "Better. I've been sleeping well, thanks to that tea you gave me."

"Let me know when you need more." Myung Soo says. He notices the tag to her shirt is sticking out, and reaches out to tuck it back in, when Eun Sang shifts away, avoiding his touch.

Ah, there was _that_ new development.

"Cha Eun Sang, I thought we were fine," he says as he puts his hand back into his pocket.

Her slightly apologetic look only confirms the opposite. "Or maybe we're not."

"Myung Soo-ah," Eun Sang says, then bites her lip. "I'm fine, really, I am."

"I'm sorry that was your first kiss," Myung Soo blurts out. "But I don't know what I can do to fix things."

"Fix what?" Young Do drawls. He comes toward them, a banana milk in one hand and a lollipop in the other. A black plastic sack swings from his arm. He hands the banana milk to Eun Sang.

"Nothing," Eun Sang says quickly and takes the drink from him. "Let's go."

Young Do grunts agreeably, the lollipop already in his mouth. He glances over at Myung Soo, who falls in line next to him, his expression a veritable rain cloud.

"Myung Soo, what's with that face?"

Eun Sang's father slipped into a coma not long after she had texted him the news. He passed away two weeks later.

He and Young Do both attended the second day of the funeral. Yoon Chan Young had been there with his father, and when he spotted Myung Soo with Choi Young Do, his eyebrows nearly hit his hairline. Eun Sang hadn't even looked at them, she was too busy supporting her mother and her sister, who were both weeping copiously. Eun Suk noona had cut her hair drastically short and looked like she hadn't slept for days. Dark shadows ringed her eyes and she would pause every few minutes to blow her nose. Eun Sang's mother looked completely devastated. She made distressed noises and dabbed at her eyes, while Eun Sang patted her back and said "Eomma. Eonni. Let it all out."

Chan Young finally made his way over to him and steered him by the elbow to a remote corner. "Jo Myung Soo, what is Choi Young Do doing here?"

"He's Eun Sang's friend too," Myung Soo protested. "She didn't tell you that?"

Chan Young was startled. "No, she didn't. You being here is fine – but I just don't know –"

"You can't judge him by his father, if that's what you're going by," Myung Soo said furiously. "I mean, his father's terrifying. But Young Do's not his father."

Chan Young looked at him doubtfully. "Maybe so. But how do you explain that incident at Kim Tan's birthday party? He dumped food all over a guest simply because the boy said something he didn't agree with."

"That was a misunderstanding." Myung Soo said defensively. "Besides, Dong Suk had it coming. He was making up lies about Zeus Group."

"I see you'll be a good lawyer for them, when you get older," Chan Young said in disgust. "Your friend is a bully, and that's the truth."

"Eun Sang doesn't think so, and don't you think she should decide? I can't make you like Young Do, but you can't choose who Eun Sang is friends with, either."

"Yah, Jo Myung Soo," Chan Young said. "Don't you think you're going too far?"

"You should ask that of yourself," Myung Soo retorted. "I'm going to talk to Eun Sang."

He couldn't find her. He circled the room, running into Young Do, who was holding a plate of food and looking extremely uncomfortable. "Where have you been?"

"Defending your honor. Where's Eun Sang?" Myung Soo tugged at his tie. It suddenly felt too tight.

"I don't know – I turned around and she was gone. This is her food," Young Do said. "Do you think she ran away?"

"She wouldn't do that," Myung Soo murmured. "At least, I hope not."

"You go look outside and I'll go check the hallway." Young Do set the plate down.

The sky, which had been threatening rain all morning, carried through as soon as he stepped outside. There was the clap of thunder, and then it was as if the world collapsed under water – the rain fell thick and fast.

Myung Soo cursed under his breath and peered through the rain. Where was that girl?

He ran and called her name. "Cha Eun Sang! Eun Sang! Yah, where are you?"

He saw a blurry figure duck into the alleyway and he chased after it. "Cha Eun Sang!"

It was her. She looked back at him incredulously, her eyes enormous in her pale white face. Rain had plastered her hair to her face and neck, making her look half-drowned.

Myung Soo pushed his sodden fringe off his face. "Yah, Cha Eun Sang. What's wrong?"

Eun Sang laughed, but it sounded more like a sob. "Really, Myung Soo?"

"I mean, besides your father being dead," Myung Soo said, then winced. "I mean –"

"Go away," Eun Sang said. "I don't want you to see me like this."

"Like what?"

"This," Eun Sang said, and flung out her arms. "Helpless, weak, whatever – all of it."

"I never thought you were weak," Myung Soo said. He stepped closer, cautiously. "Where did you get that idea?"

"I feel—" Eun Sang trailed off. "I feel like that. Ever since Appa died. Eomma and Eonni are so sad, all the time and I can't do anything about it. And I feel like there's something wrong with me, because I can't cry. My father's dead. I should be crying, right?"

Eun Sang's fists were balled in her hanbok. "Why am I not crying? I feel like there's something broken—" and she hit her chest. "What's **wrong **with me, Myung Soo?"

"Nothing," Myung Soo said. He stood toe to toe with her and wrapped his arms around her. "There's nothing wrong with you."

Eun Sang stood stiffly in his embrace then slowly relaxed. "How am I going to let him go?" She pressed her head against Myung Soo's chest. "How can I say good bye?"

She sighed, and it made his chest ache. "I don't know," he said honestly. "It's different for everyone."

Eun Sang pulled away. "Thank you Myung Soo."

"If you ever need anything," Myung Soo said, and Eun Sang nodded. "I know."

She looked up at him, and then smiled. "Have you grown taller?" Eun Sang shook her head disapprovingly. "Jo Myung Soo, who gave you permission to grow so tall?"

It was strange, how warm he suddenly felt – he knew the truth of rain hitting against his skin, dripping from his hair and eyelashes, but when Eun Sang smiled, none of it mattered. He felt warmth from the tips of his ears to the soles of his feet. He had missed her smile.

Myung Soo raised his hand to brush her cheek. "You saw Young Do right? He's sprouted like a tree."

Eun Sang wrinkled her nose. "I enjoyed being taller than you. Now I have to catch up."

"I'm sure if you put your mind to it, you can do anything, Cha Eun Sang." Myung Soo grinned at her.

Eun Sang raised up on her tip toes and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Is that a dare?'

She was so close – he could see the beauty mark on her nose and under her eyebrow. He inclined his head toward hers. "Maybe?"

"Yah! Where have you two been?" Young Do's shout startled them both. Eun Sang tipped forward and Myung Soo reached out to catch her.

Their faces met, Eun Sang's mouth mashed against his bottom lip. He froze. Eun Sang's eyes widened and she pushed him away.

"Eun Sang!"

She gave him the briefest of looks, then ran off. Young Do stepped aside when he saw her.

Myung Soo ran toward him. "Why didn't you stop her?"

Young Do shoved a plastic umbrella at him. "Yah, Jo Myung Soo, what's with that face?"

Myung Soo touched his bottom lip. "Did you see?"

Young Do sneered. "See what? Let's go."

They walked back to the funeral home in silence. Myung Soo tried to engage Young Do in conversation, but the other boy remained silent until they reached the entrance.

"I'm surprised at you," Young Do said. "It's her father's funeral, what were you thinking?"

"It's not like that," Myung Soo protested. "It was an accident."

"So how are you going to fix it?" Young Do sounded almost angry. "Do you have a plan?"

"It just happened. I don't know what I'm going to do. Why do you care?"

"I don't," Young Do spat out the words. "I just don't want difficulties in my life."

He collapsed the umbrella and handed it to Myung Soo. "I'm going to leave first."

Chan Young had yelled at him for letting Eun Sang stay out in the rain. It seemed pointless to wait for her, so he went home.

Myung Soo pulled out his phone on the ride back.

"I'm sorry," he texted. "I'm sorry."

"That was my first kiss," came the reply, and Myung Soo groaned.

"I'm really really really sorry."

"It's not your fault. I was there too."

"So we're fine?"

"Yes."

Which clearly was a big lie, Myung Soo thinks irritably as they settle into their seats. Eun Sang sits between Young Do and Myung Soo, and turns off her phone. Myung Soo scoops a handful of popcorn and passes the tub to her. Eun Sang takes it and skims the top, then hands it to Young Do. He declines and sinks back into his seat.

The lights dim, and the beginning credits play on the screen.

Two hours later, they leave the movie theater. "What did you think?" Myung Soo asks. Eun Sang yawns and flips her hood over her head. "It's so obvious that there's going to be a second movie. I mean, they can't just leave the bridge smashed like that. And Loki's still alive."

"Plus he just _leaves _Jane there," Myung Soo says. "Who leaves a girl that looks like that behind?"

"Apparently the god of thunder does," Young Do says. "But there was Lady Sif waiting for him back at home."

Myung Soo snorts. "Don't tell me you think Thor's going to fall for Sif."

Young Do grins. "I've never been interested in the obvious endings."

"Jane and Thor were _**in love**_!" Myung Soo says loudly, causing passerby to look at them strangely. Eun Sang ducks her head and Young Do mutters, "Aish, this kid."

"Well, they are," Myung Soo insists. "What do you think, Eun Sang?"

"I'm happy that Thor could reconcile with his father," Eun Sang says simply. At the mention of fathers, Young Do's expression hardens while Myung Soo goes quiet.

They walk Eun Sang to her bus stop and wait. "You two are starting Jeguk in a couple of weeks right?" Eun Sang asks.

"Yeah," Young Do says. "Tan-_ah's_ mother sweet talked all our parents into going to her school. My father proposed a work-study program in connection with Zeus."

"My mother talked to the other mothers and they're building a study room for us." He looks at Eun Sang and says, "You can use it too. You and Chan Young."

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll be too busy traveling to my new high school. And I just got a new job."

"Which number is this one? Three, four?" Young Do raises an eyebrow. "Are you trying to buy a house, Cha Eun Sang?"

"I wish," Eun Sang sighs. "No, the rent on our apartment is due soon, and my mother just sent my sister money for the new semester."

"I told you, you could come wash dishes with me," Young Do says casually. "You'd be making more than minimum wage."

"I already wash dishes."

"These are_ better_ dishes."

"Oh, says your royal highness?"

Myung Soo steps in before they start arguing in earnest. "On the weekends, you can come use the study room, if you can't make it during the week. I'll be there."

Eun Sang looks at him thoughtfully, and then she nods. "Okay."

Myung Soo exhales. "Good, and you can meet our friends."

Eun Sang gets a mischievous look on her face. "Oh, will I get to meet the famous Lee Bo Na?"

"Ah, how can you say her name so easily, she broke my heart," Myung Soo says, and drapes his arm over his face dramatically. Young Do rolls his eyes. "Here we go."

To Myung Soo's shock, Eun Sang reaches out and pats his hand. "It's okay, Myung Soo. There will be other girls."

"Don't _encourage_ him," Young Do says bemusedly.

"_Quiet_, you. I think it's cute that our Myung Soo believes in love so strongly," Eun Sang says. Her expression brightens. "I almost forgot. I have presents for the two of you."

She fishes in her pockets and brings out two friendship bracelets. "I've had them for a while, but I figured since you two are going to Jeguk, it would be a good start to the new school year." She motions at them. "Hold out your hands."

Myung Soo sticks out his palm eagerly. Young Do hesitates for a moment before he does the same.

Eun Sang places a yellow, white and blue bracelet in Myung Soo's outstretched hand. Young Do gets a red, black, and orange bracelet.

"There you go," Eun Sang says, suddenly shy. "I know it's not much, but –"

"_Daebak_," Myung Soo crows, and slips his on immediately. "No one's ever made me anything before, they always just buy it."

He slings an arm around her and squeezes. "Thank you, Cha Eun Sang."

"Thank _you_," Eun Sang says gratefully. "Both of you. For the past few months."

"It's fine," Young Do says gruffly. "Your bus is here, you should go."

Myung Soo waves at the bus until he can no longer see it. He turns to Young Do, who is still staring at the bracelet.

"Well put it on," Myung Soo says. "Do you need help?"

Young Do closes his fingers over it and sticks it in his pocket. "It doesn't go with what I'm wearing," he says cheekily. "I see you two are fixed up."

"Until Eun Sang decides she's going to be embarrassed all over again," Myung Soo says. "But I'll take this as a good sign."

**Fifteen, the day before the first day of school**

Myung Soo wakes up when his phone alarm goes off _right by his ear_, and he struggles with his sheets before finally flinging them off. He blinks blearily and looks at the time. Six thirty am. It takes him thirty minutes to wash up, dress, eat breakfast and then he's out of the house, camera in hand.

Even though most things aren't open until ten or so, he likes the mornings in his neighborhood. Everything is still and quiet, and he hears the sounds of birds chirping to one another. He likes strolling down the paved streets and seeing the different styles of architecture.

Sometimes he wonders what it would be like if he grew up in a different house, a different family. If he lived like Eun Sang and Chan Young did.

It's a hard idea to grasp.

When he gets home, he checks his phone. There's a message from Eun Sang.

"_Chan Young is going to Jeguk with you, be sure to look out for him."_

He shakes his head. "This is Yoon Chan Young we're talking about. He's probably better prepared than I am."

"_You're right, but look out for him anyway?"_

"Thanks for your faith, Cha Eun Sang."

"_At least you'll be going to school with people you know. I don't know anyone at my school."_

"Are you ready for school?"

Eun Sang sends a line of frowning faces and Myung Soo laughs.

"Let's get together after this week is over."

"_Deal."_

**Fifteen, first day of school **

Eun Sang bolts out of bed at five thirty in the morning. She nearly slips on her way to the bathroom, but manages to grab a hold of the wall.

The cold water is a shock, and she shrieks before she remembers her mother is still sleeping. The bathroom door bangs open and her mother looks at her worriedly.

"Co-co-old, Eomma," Eun Sang says, her teeth chattering together. Her mother signs, "Did you forget to turn on the heat again?"

"Can you do it?"

"Silly girl."

Eun Sang hugs herself and waits until the frigid water warms up and washes away the goose bumps on her skin.

Breakfast is a hurried affair, she chokes down an orange and half a bowl of rice. Eun Sang hugs her mother and kisses her on the cheek. "Have a good day at work, Eomma! I have to catch the bus."

Eun Sang is out the door before she can see her mother sign, "Have a good first day."

Her feet fly up the flight of stairs that leads to the main road, and Eun Sang runs toward the bus stop.

"Chan Young, it's time to wake up." Jae Ho walks down the hallway to Chan Young's bedroom and knocks on it. "It's not a good idea to be late on your first day."

No answer. Jae Ho opens the door and sees the bed is neatly made. Chan Young comes out from his bathroom, dressed in the Jeguk uniform. He tugs on the sleeves self-consciously. "I look like a character out of a comic book," he complains. "No one I know dresses like this."

"It's the style I've heard," his father says. "You look sharp. Very handsome." He gives Chan Young a thumbs up. "Here, let's take a picture for Eun Sang."

Chan Young makes a horrified grimace just as his father clicks the camera button on his phone.

"Yah, Chan Young," his father chides. "I thought you were fine about attending Jeguk."

Chan Young shrugs. "I am. I just – I don't know about the other kids."

"You have your mother's charm and my good looks," Jae Ho says exasperatedly. "How can you not make friends easily?"

"I'd rather go to the high school Eun Sang is going to," Chan Young says. "I miss her already."

"I told you, you can't go to the high school Eun Sang is going to now, unless you want to wear a wig and talk in a high voice for three years," Jae Ho says. "When she and Park-sshi moved, the best school in the area is the all-girls high school."

"Too bad she can't come to Jeguk with me," Chan Young says. "It'd be nice to have a friend already."

"Don't you know some of the kids already – the son of Seungri Law Firm? What's his name?"

"Jo Myung Soo. He's nice enough."

"There you are, a friend –" and when the expression on Chan Young's face doesn't change, Jae Ho laughs. "Perhaps I have been taking work home with me. Chan Young, I know those kids aren't like us, and that you're not comfortable with them, but the world is full of different kinds of people. And part of growing up is learning how to get along with people you don't necessarily like."

"Are you telling me to _lie_, Appa?" Chan Young crossed his arms.

"No, I'm telling you what my father told me and your grandfather told him. Learn all you can and try to find one good thing about a person and that can help you understand them. Bear with it, Chan Young."

"All right." Chan Young sighs. "What's for breakfast?"

Jae Ho rubs his hands together in anticipation. "I've been experimenting. What do you think about pancakes?"

Chan Young sniffs, then his eyes widen in alarm. "Is that them burning now?"

Eun Sang gets the picture notification as she's walking onto the school campus. Curious, she clicks accept, then bursts into laughter at the sight of Chan Young's cross eyed frog face.

"Wishing you a good first day of school, from Chan Young and Chan Young's papa."

She takes a selca of herself with a victory sign by her left eye and sends it as a reply.

"Chang Young, fighting!"

Young Do wakes before his alarm goes off. He pulls on a long robe and then opens his door, looking both ways. The house feels empty, but that's because the morning staff have yet to arrive. He walks toward his mother's room and knocks lightly.

"Eomma?" he calls out. "Eomma, are you awake?"

"Young Do Ah?" The door opens a crack and his mother peers out at him. Her face is pale and there's a fragility to her features that didn't exist before. She brightens at the sight of him, and pulls him toward her. "Ah, today is a special day, right? The first day of school."

"Eomma, are you all right? Maybe I should stay home today." Young Do gently steers her to a chair and sits her down.

She cups his face. "Don't be ridiculous. It's the first day of high school. You need to go."

"It's just the same kids I've known forever," Young Do mutters. "We'll probably see each other for the rest of our lives."

"That's why it's important to make friends. You don't bring anyone home."

"Would you bring someone here to this house?" Young Do jerks away. "Anyway, I have all the friends I need."

"How is Tan-ah?"

"Strange – I'll see him later though. Eomma, are you sure you don't need me to stay?"

"Eomma will be waiting for you when you get home. Don't worry about me."

"I can't help it," Young Do says, and his mother wraps her arms around him. "Let me get ready, and I'll make you breakfast. Does that sound good?"

Young Do's smile is as clear and wide as the sky.

The first person Chan Young sees at Jeguk is Kim Tan. His father's car has pulled up behind Tan's car, and Tan is standing awkwardly outside of it when Chan Young gets out.

Tan actually bows toward Chan Young's father and turns to look at him. "Hello, I'm Kim Tan."

Chan Young remembers his father's words and tries to smile. "I know. I'm Yoon Chan Young."

"It's nice to meet you."

Tan obviously has no recollection of him at all. Chan Young sighs. "It's nice to meet you too."

Myung Soo is walking to his locker to put away his books for his first class, when Bo Na grabs his arm. "Who is that?"

"Hello to you too," Myung Soo gripes, and looks at where Bo Na is pointing. "Oh, it's just Yoon Chan Young."

"You _know_ him?" Bo Na's voice drops into a whisper. "How? I've never seen him before. Is he new money? Is he a transfer student? Who is he?"

"Why do you want to know so bad?" Myung Soo asks, then looks at her closely. "Yah, Lee Bo Na, what's wrong with your eyes?"

Bo Na is looking at Chan Young in the same way she used to look at Tan, but there's something else – something _flowery_ about the way she gazes at Chan Young.

Myung Soo shudders. "Never mind."

"Introduce me to him," Bo Na orders.

"Never," Myung Soo says. "Chan Young is too innocent for the likes of you."

"Yah, what's that supposed to mean? Jo Myung Soo!" She stomps her foot.

At lunch, Eun Sang gets her tray from the lunch lady and brings it back to her seat. Everyone else is paired off or sitting in groups, and she feels conspicuous eating by herself. She plugs in her earphones and looks at her phone.

Chan Young writes back, "Our Eun Sang is too cute. Such a waste at a girl's school."

Myung Soo sends a text as well – "Eun Sang, why are you sending cute pictures to Chan Young and not me?"

Even Young Do sends a message. "How was it?"

"Dear kids," she types. "It was like being thrown into a zoo. I don't know half of these things the girls care about, so I will need to study extra hard. Also, what is an A-Pink?"

"Oppa will help you. A-Pink is a girl group. Bo Na knows them. Do you want an autograph?"

Eun Sang snorts. She texts back. "What oppa?"

"Are you calling me Oppa now, Cha Eun Sang? I'm touched."

Eun Sang's eyes widen. She had accidentally sent her reply to Young Do instead of Myung Soo.

"What are you doing, calling Choi Young Do your Oppa?"

Chan Young's text comes a minute later. Eun Sang buries her face in her hands.

"Are you all sitting together or something?"

"No. Myung Soo is just really loud."

Eun Sang spends the remainder of her lunch texting the boys.

**Fifteen, Summer**

Myung Soo thinks there should have been a sign, or something obvious, but one day Kim Tan is there, and then the next day he isn't. And isn't for a week, and then a month, until Rachel informs them that Tan got accepted into a school in California, and was going to continue his education in America.

Myung Soo's surprised that Rachel, _of all people_ knows more about Tan than him or Young Do. Even Young Do's surprised by the announcement, but then his face carefully goes blank.

He's worried about Young Do.

He doesn't eat with them anymore, and spends most of his time in the company of two lesser known families – boys that he wouldn't have bothered with if Tan was still there. They weren't even third stringers, but maybe fourth and fifth hopefuls. Their fathers run hospitals or banks, he can't remember.

With Young Do spending his free time with his new friends – Myung Soo's become friendlier with Chan Young, who has adapted to Jeguk remarkably well. He also spends time with Lee Hyo Shin, a student a year ahead of them. Hyo Shin sunbae is cool and collected, and exactly the type of person he wished he could be. He's smart, calm and can recall the different constitutional referendums and case files with complete ease. When he invites Hyo Shin for dinner, his mother practically fawns over him.

"We're big admirers of your parents," his mother says, and his father nods. "Yes, the precedents your father has set are quite impressive."

Hyo Shin nods and smiles and makes polite conversation, but Myung Soo sees the effort it takes.

He touches Hyo Shin's shoulder as the older boy gets ready to leave. "Sunbae, are you all right? Did my parents upset you?"

Hyo Shin's gaze softens and he shakes his head. "Your parents didn't upset me. I had a good time tonight, really."

"If you're sure," Myung Soo says uncertainly. He thinks he sees the edge of a bandage underneath Hyo Shin's sleeve, but he's not sure.

Hyo Shin sees him looking and pulls up his sleeve. "I burned myself by accident," he says. "Trying to make tea."

"Oh, was that the reason?" Myung Soo says. "Well, be careful next time, sunbae."

"I will," Hyo Shin says. "Thank you for inviting me to your home."

**Fifteen, fall**

He tells Eun Sang about it later, and how strangely_ final_ it sounded – which was ridiculous, because of course Sunbae would be around, but then summer vacation draws to an end, and fall semester begins, and Hyo Shin is out.

"There's been a death in the family," Bo Na says to him at break time. She's sitting with Kang Yesol, the new girl, whose parents run a health spa or something to do with mineral water. "Sunbae and his family are in mourning, and he'll be back after a few weeks."

"Why does everyone know everything except me," Myung Soo mutters. "Even Eun Sang knows more and she doesn't even go here."

At the mention of Eun Sang's name, Bo Na's face darkens. "Myung Soo, don't talk about that girl. She's the reason Chan Young won't go out with me. I hate her."

"Are you still trying to get his attention? I thought you'd given up by now." Yesol says.

"Chan Young is worth my time and effort," Bo Na seethes. "He's a perfect gentleman. And a complete _idiot_," and her face crumples.

"Bo Na," Yesol chides. "I thought we talked about this."

"I know," Bo Na cries. "I've tried to ignore him. But I can't. He's Chan Young!"

"What makes him so different from Kim Tan?" Myung Soo says, his interest piqued. "You've never liked anyone as much as you did Tan."

Bo Na rolls her eyes. "That's _so_ in the past. Keep up will you? Chan Young," and she ticks off the reasons one by one, "is incredibly intelligent, kind, a good conversationalist, and he has really pretty eyes. And he's so cute when he smiles, oh, and his hair –"

"Is on his head?" Myung Soo guesses. Bo Na swats at him. "Yah! Jo Myung Soo, jealousy doesn't become you."

"I'm not jealous of Chan Young." Myung Soo scoffs. "I'm just surprised that you're trying so hard."

"Because it's Chan Young! I don't understand him. I buy him things, he gives them back. I tell him he's cool, he just thanks me and walks away. I tell him Eun Sang is a gold digging opportunist, he gets angry at me. I don't get it. What's wrong with him?"

"Really, seriously, Lee Bo Na?"

"She's not even that pretty," Yesol chimes in. "I mean, I guess she's pretty for a poor girl."

"Yah, that is my best friend you're talking about," Myung Soo says sharply. He stands up. "Lee Bo Na, I'm no longer surprised why Chan Young doesn't want to date you. I'm surprised I wanted to date you once."

"Wait, what?" Bo Na looks at him curiously. "You wanted to date me?"

"That's so in the past," Myung Soo parrots back at her. "Keep up will you?"

He walks off.

"What's his problem," Yesol says. She peers at Bo Na. "Are you crying?"

"_No_," Bo Na snaps, and rubs at her face furiously. "The air is just very moist in this lounge."

Myung Soo pulls out his phone. He finds Young Do's number and fires off a quick message.

"Bastard, where are you?"

If he hits back, he'll be punished. If he does nothing, nothing will change. Eomma is still gone, her closet empty, the drawers naked as well. Nothing is left.

"_Eomma will be waiting for you when you get home. Don't worry about me."_

Mothers aren't supposed to lie to their children.

He skipped the last class of the day because he felt something off – and when he came home, he scared the maid, who was cleaning up his mother's room.

"Where is she?" He usually doesn't touch the servants – doesn't even look at them really, but when he saw her with the vacuum and the cleaning cloths, he just _knew_.

"Where is my mother?"

The maid steps back, fear in her eyes. "Young Master, I don't know."

"_Liar_," he spits and pushes her away. "Why are you cleaning?"

"Your father requested that I do so."

"Of course. Of course he would." Young Do laughs. "He can do whatever he wants, but everyone else just cleans up after him."

He stalks over to his mother's table and picks up the paperweight. It is heavy and made of polished marble.

Young Do is tired of doing nothing.

He takes the paperweight with him when he goes to his father's study. It has heft, it's the perfect size – and he hurls it at the double doors.

The wood cracks and splinters. There is a thunk, and then a crash. His father's favorite vase has just met an untimely end.

Heavy footsteps, and then his father's enraged face looks through the destroyed doors.

Young Do smiles, and clenches his fists. "Where is Eomma?"

If he hits back, nothing will change.

"Aish, where are you?" Eun Sang checks her watch and looks at the bus schedule again. Her bus is late – which is unheard of. There must have been an accident or the bus driver was refueling. She has a mountain of homework to get through, and she still needs to pick up some groceries for her mother.

She quickly sends a text. "Eomma, I'm sorry, the bus is late. I will be late coming home."

"Take your time. I'm still at my new job. There are left overs in the refrigerator."

Eun Sang frowns. Her mother's new job as a personal house keeper to the wife of Jeguk Group – Chan Young's father set it up, and it means an hour and a half commute every morning for her mother. A Jeguk car dropped her off every night.

She hadn't told Myung Soo or Young Do about it, as her plan was to make enough money so her mother could get another job, closer to where they lived. It was kind of Chan Young's father, but she wanted her family to have nothing to do with Jeguk. Chan Young didn't say much, but she knew he was having a difficult time. And that annoying girl Lee Bo Na certainly didn't help matters.

Her phone beeps. She glances down – a text from Young Do.

_Help me._

Eun Sang immediately dials his number. "Where are you?"

"By your house." Young Do's voice sounds weak. "By the street light."

"Stay there," Eun Sang orders. "I'm coming."

She runs and waves wildly at an oncoming taxi. It stops and she climbs in.

"_You need to go to the hospital," Eun Sang said gently, as she taped down a piece of gauze. "What if I'm not here? Or if Myung Soo's not around?"_

"_I don't like hospitals," Young Do said thickly. "The smells – the dying people. Besides, he never hits me that seriously."_

"_This looks serious to me," Eun Sang scolded him. "And you always bruise in the same places."_

"_Why ruin a winning formula?" Young Do winced. "Besides, I like you playing nurse."_

"_Yah, I'm tired of cleaning off your blood everywhere," Eun Sang said. "The last time you came over, that blouse? I can't wear it anymore."_

"_I'll buy you another," Young Do offered, then scowled when Eun Sang pressed hard against the wound. "Aish, what was that for?"_

"_You don't need to buy me things," Eun Sang said. "I prefer you not being beaten up instead."_

"_So I won't come for the small things," Young Do said. "I can fix those on my own. But if I really need help—"_

"_I didn't say you needed to stop coming. If you need a place to run away to, then it might as well be here, Choi Young Do."_

"_Really?" Young Do smiled at her. "You promise?" He held up his pinky._

"_Elementary school kid," Eun Sang muttered, but stuck out her pinky as well._

Eun Sang pays the taxi fare out of the grocery money her mother gives her and sprints up the hill.

She sees him before he sees her, and she nearly falls from the shock.

Young Do is barely standing straight and is holding onto the street light with his hand, which she can see is bruised and bloody.

"Young Do," she whispers and takes a step toward him. "What has he done to you?"

Young Do looks at her with his one good eye – the other one is completely swollen shut and smiles weakly.

"You're here."

He lets go of the street light and walks toward her – his steps uneven and Eun Sang rushes toward him. "Young Do you need to go to the hospital, this is really bad," and she staggers under his weight as he leans against her heavily. His hand comes up and brushes under her eye. "Eun Sang," Young Do says in distress. "Are you crying?"

"Of course I am, you idiot. You're hurt," Eun Sang says, and the wreckage of his face is worse close up. There's just so much blood everywhere.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"It's not you," Eun Sang sobs. "It's what's been done to you." She pulls out her phone.

"I'm calling Myung Soo –"

"Don't," Young Do attempts to take her phone away, but he misses. "He can't keep a secret worth a damn."

"Good," Eun Sang says. "People should know what kind of monster your father is."

"Eun Sang, stop."

"Why?"

"Because it doesn't matter anymore."

"How can it not matter?" Eun Sang says incredulously.

Young Do rests his head against her shoulder. "Because my mother left. She left and she broke her promise and nothing matters anymore."

"Young Do—"

"Don't say you're sorry okay? It didn't work the first time and it's not going to work now. I'm not going to the hospital."

"All right," Eun Sang says quietly. "Can you walk with me down the stairs?"

"Go slowly."

Myung Soo gets the message just as he's about to take a shower.

Come to my house. Hurry. It's Young Do.

He tells his mother he's studying at the study room and that he'll be back later.

The taxi ride to Eun Sang's house is filled with furious texting – what was wrong, what was Young Do doing, how did it look. Eun Sang tells him the details and warns him to prepare for the worst.

The door is unlocked when he gets there, and he locks it after himself when he goes in.

No lights are on except for a brief line of light underneath a door. He guesses it's Eun Sang's room.

He knocks and hears her say, "Come in."

Myung Soo peers inside the room. His heart feels funny, like a hummingbird lives in it. He sees Young Do first – his feet hang off of Eun Sang's bed. Eun Sang is stretched out next to him, her cheek pressed against his forehead.

Young Do's face is a mess of purple bruises and vivid red cuts, but he looks peaceful – and Myung Soo notes the way his arm curls around Eun Sang's waist.

He swallows painfully.

Eun Sang's eyes open and she looks straight at him. Myung Soo steps back in surprise. Eun Sang smiles, and raises her hand.

She beckons.

_Come here._

He shakes his head – and Eun Sang frowns. She repeats the gesture.

Come here.

His feet follow her command and then he's standing right next to them. Eun Sang pats the space next to her.

When he whispers, "There's not enough room," Eun Sang's brows meet in the middle and she reaches out for his hand.

"There's always room for you."


	4. age 16

**Sixteen, summer**

Sixteen is one year from seventeen, which is one year from eighteen, which is when he'll be an adult and free from his father's tyranny. At least that's how Young Do has planned it. He is one year closer to being invincible.

He starts by preparing his body – besides the vigorous bouts of sparring during judo, he takes up weight training and swimming. He experiences another growth spurt, bringing his already lengthy frame to an even more impressive height. The weight training fleshes him out while the swimming keeps his body toned. He looks less lanky and more solid. Stronger.

The changes are not just physical – he starts paying more attention in school, at least in the subjects he's interested in. He even turns in a few homework assignments. His Literature teacher actually starts weeping in class when he turns in a long overdue essay.

Everyone's startled by the 'new and improved' Young Do, except for Myung Soo who tells anyone who bothers to listen, that he always knew Young Do had it in him to excel.

Bo Na merely scoffs and flips her hair. "What's the matter, Choi Young Do? Realized you can't rely on your money and name anymore?"

Young Do leans back in his chair and smiles sunnily at her. "You forgot my devastatingly good looks, Lee Bo Na. And also my impeccable style."

Bo Na makes a wretching noise while Ye Sol rests her hands against her palms and looks at him adoringly. "No one is as fashionable as you, Oppa."

Myung Soo raises a hand in protest. "I _strongly_ object."

"Kang Ye Sol, did the surgeon fix your eyes or ruin them?" Bo Na says in disbelief. "Besides, no one looks better than Yoon Chan Young."

"Has your reluctant prince finally said yes to you?" Young Do stands up and stretches his arms ostentatiously over his head. His shirt comes untucked, revealing a strip of skin and Ye Sol nearly falls out of her chair.

He shrugs. "I'm disappointed, I was betting he'd hold out for much longer."

Bo Na predictably flares up. "Yah, Chan Young _will_ be my boyfriend. He's even tutoring me."

"In what?"

"In English." Bo Na has the sense to look away in embarrassment. "I was improvising, all right?"

"Does he know you lived in California for four years?"

Myung Soo whistles. "Lee Bo Na, you devious girl. I knew you were bad." He shakes his head. "Poor Chan Young doesn't know what he's getting into."

"Oh, _shut up_," Bo Na says. "Ye Sol, let's go." She gives them a withering glance. "I don't care for the present company."

Yesol looks at Young Do then back at Bo Na. "I don't know, it seems fine to me?"

Bo Na narrows her eyes. "What?"

"Don't bother leaving, I'll go first." Young Do waves at them dismissively. "I have a date anyway."

Both Ye Sol and Myung Soo look at him incredulously. Bo Na's mouth drops open. "In your dreams, Choi Young Do. Who's crazy enough to date you?"

Young Do brings his finger up to his mouth. "It's a secret," and he winks.

Ye Sol sighs audibly.

Bo Na looks at her friend in horror. "Yah, Kang Ye Sol!"

Myung Soo watches Young Do's retreating back and wrinkles his brow. Young Do had a date? It was the first he'd heard of it – and really, it was the first time Young Do had ever even mentioned girls in more than a dismissive manner. He teased Bo Na, and whenever Rachel deigned to sit with them at lunch, he would smirk and tease her too. It was just the way he communicated, in sly innuendos and with a scornful curl of his lip.

Myung Soo wonders if he'll ever be able to fully decipher Young Do's moods, even with all the experience he's accumulated over the past few years. He fishes his phone out of his pocket and calls Eun Sang. If someone knew about Young Do's date, it would be Eun Sang.

* * *

Ever since Young Do had come to them – well, to Eun Sang's house, they had grown closer. Eun Sang had even friended him and Young Do on her social network account, which was a big deal, because her only other contacts was Chan Young and a classmate she knew from her old school.

He thought it strange that Eun Sang had so few friends, but Eun Sang explained it was because her family moved around a lot when she was younger, due to her father's constant job changes. It made it difficult for her to form lasting friendships, when she was just going to move again. Then her father had found a good factory job, and they moved into the apartment next door to Chan Young's.

"History was made," Eun Sang said grandly. "Chan Young and I found each other. Actually, I ran into his door."

She smiled fondly at the memory. "Split my lip. Chan Young thought I was a vengeful ghost and started crying for his mother."

"That sounds like you," Myung Soo said peevishly. "Blood and tears all over."

Eun Sang wrinkled her nose at him. "It's a precious memory."

"It sounds like those horror movies you like so much," Myung Soo said. "I like how we met better."

"Oh yes, you yelling at me from your car." Eun Sang rolled her eyes. "_So much better_."

"Every romantic comedy starts out that way," Myung Soo protested, then looked at her coquettishly. "Haven't you fallen for me yet?"

"Yah, Jo Myung Soo!" Eun Sang smacked his arm, a little harder than necessary. "Don't say such idiotic things."

"I am _very_ lovable," Myung Soo pressed on. "Really, Eun Sang. Don't you think so?"

"I'm not answering that," Eun Sang said, laughing.

"You don't need to," Myung Soo retorted. "I know you love me."

"Well if you know then…."

Eun Sang patted his arm, where she had hit him earlier. "Let's not say anything, and just stay like this."

His skin tingled from her touch.

Myung Soo shook his head. "One day, you're going to say that to someone and regret it."

"I'll worry about that when the day comes, then."

* * *

Myung Soo clicks on Eun Sang's name. She answers within two rings.

"Myung Soo, what's up?" Eun Sang yawns.

"Were you asleep? Did I wake you up? Yah, Cha Eun Sang, how many jobs are you working now?"

"I was resting my eyes. _Resting_," Eun Sang says defensively. "It's the same number of jobs I had last time you called."

"Which was three too many, I remember. Are you outside? You are, aren't you?"

"If you know the answer already, why do you ask?" Eun Sang says, and swallows another yawn. "I like being outside, it's free."

"There are bugs and sticky children and strange men outside," Myung Soo argues. "At least inside, there's air conditioning."

"You're too spoiled, Myung Soo. Anyway, I have to go. I'll talk to you later, _Eomma_."

"Cha Eun Sang!"

Eun Sang hangs up just as Young Do saunters over to her. "Why aren't you in the waiting room? I told you it was okay. Unless," and his right eyebrow lifts, "you were waiting for me?" He breaks into a grin. "Cha Eun Sang, I'm touched."

"Don't you start too," Eun Sang sighs. "I was just taking a nap –" and Young Do frowns. "There's a private room for that purpose, why do you like sleeping outside so much?"

"Because _I just do_," Eun Sang snaps. "Anyway, you're late."

"Your watch is five minutes fast," Young Do says. "I'm on time. Come inside, Sensei is waiting for us."

Eun Sang's face brightens. "What are we doing today? Throws?"

"_I'm_ doing throws, you're warming up," Young Do corrects her. "Sensei says you need more practice before he allows you on the mats again."

"I wasn't that bad," Eun Sang protests.

"You weren't that good either," Young Do says, then neatly side steps Eun Sang's raised arm. He clicks his tongue. "Your reflexes need work, Cha Eun Sang."

He smiles and recites. "Remember what Sensei says, you can't improve until you let the energy come in purely and freely."

Eun Sang groans. "I'm starting to wish I had just let you buy me a purse instead."

"This _is_ what you wanted, and I delivered," Young Do says. "It's not my fault you're such a lacking student."

"For that, when I get on the mat – you're dead," Eun Sang vows. "I mean it."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Eun Sang grabs the collar of his gi and tugs. "Remember that when you're flat on your back," she says sweetly, and lets go. She takes the lead and walks into the dojo first.

Young Do swallows.

* * *

Young Do doesn't like being in debt to anyone. Monetary debt was unheard of in his world – his family has been rich for decades, and the way they stayed rich was by not spending unnecessary money. Of course there was the upkeep of maintaining their wealth – which meant the drivers, the real estate in the most exclusive suburbs of Seoul, the executive penthouse suites in all of the hotels under the Zeus brand, the designer clothes and shoes, to the stylist who visited his hotel room every month to give him a haircut. He was wealthy because his family spent money on things that lasted, that came with history and service, a pedigree.

Which was probably why he delighted in the small rebellion of eating convenience store ramyun, the rustling of paper against his palms as he slid the wooden chopsticks out of their wrapper, and the aromatic steam as he peeled back the thin paper lid. It was bliss and it could be his for under three thousand won. It felt like he was spitting in the face of tradition and so many years of board meetings and carefully brokered mergers and acquisitions. Which suited him just fine.

It's the emotional debt he doesn't know what to do with.

Ever since that night, he feels something's changed between Eun Sang and him. It feels different, _he_ feels different. He can't quite explain it in words, not to his complete satisfaction. It's – a heightened awareness of her. He finds himself anticipating the moment just before they meet – whether it's by coincidence or appointment.

He's been making a lot of appointments lately.

At first it was because he wanted to thank her for taking care of him. He and Myung Soo had stayed in her room for a few more hours, until Myung Soo gently prodded at him to get up. They went to the study room and Young Do spent the rest of the night there. Eun Sang sent him texts throughout the night, and he saved every one.

When he met Eun Sang again, his eye had healed and the bruises were faded yellow against his skin. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried not to fidget as she looked over at him – and then her gaze returned to the enormous gift basket in front of her.

She blinked.

"This is a thank you," Young Do said, and when Eun Sang still didn't say anything, he reached for it. "I can return it and get something else, if you want – I didn't really know what you liked best, so I just guessed."

Eun Sang's fingers brushed against his, and he stiffened. "Young Do-Ah," Eun Sang said slowly, "you didn't have to do this."

It was the way she said his name – gently and with warmth, like it was something to be cherished. His eyes drifted shut and he tried not to shake. "Say that again," he said.

"What?"

"My name."

"Choi Young Do."

"No, like before."

Eun Sang looked at him curiously. "Young Do-Ah?"

There it was again, the sudden rush of warmth and comfort. Young Do balled his fists inside his pockets. "What do you want, Cha Eun Sang? Anything, I'll get it for you."

"What?"

"Just name it."

Eun Sang fixed her eyes on his face, and she smiled a little. "Let me get back to you. I have to think about it."

The basket stayed in his room, ostentatious and accusing, until he finally got rid of it.

He composed a witty text to send to Eun Sang, then deleted it at the last second.

It's not something he's accustomed to, the feeling of uncertainty and – what is it?

The prickling of his skin whenever she touched him – and she touched him more often now, casually and lightly. It wasn't always due to him being hurt, but just a brush of his shoulder or a flick against the back of his hand.

He found himself looking at his skin after she had touched it, for a mark or sign that explained the sensation she left. There was none, of course – but he could still _feel_ it, and then she would touch him again. He half expected to find the whorls of her fingertips tattooed on his skin, and was always disappointed when there was nothing.

Then there was the way Eun Sang carelessly slept anywhere, usually outside – that really tested the limits of his patience.

It was absurd. He knew that Eun Sang didn't get enough sleep due to the amount of part time jobs she worked, but that was still no reason to _just sleep outside_. He ticked off the reasons – the elements, the noise, the potential kidnappers and perverts just passing by, and Eun Sang laughed.

"One, it's not like I'm wearing pajamas. I'm always fully dressed and two, once I fall asleep, I don't really hear anything. Three, CCTV – and why would anyone bother a sleeping person. I see drunks on the street all the time."

"They're men. It's different because you're a girl."

"Yah, Choi Young Do. Do you always assume the worst?"

"Are you really that naïve?" He shot back. "The world is a bad place."

"_I know_," she replied. "Don't you think I know that? But it's exhausting to think so all the time. All I can do is live the way I want to, even for a little while."

"Is this how you really want to live?"

Her face tightened, and she looked at him. "What about you? Is that any way to live as well?"

It hurts because it's true and because it's her saying it.

Just as she can put him together, it seems more and more like Eun Sang can take him apart with just words.

She apologized soon after, with a box of fried chicken and a liter of coke.

"I shouldn't have said that," she said earnestly. "Your situation is very different from mine –"

"I'm not going to live like that anymore," Young Do interrupted. "I'm making plans to get away from him. From this," and he gestured at his hotel room. "I want to live how I want, too."

Eun Sang nodded. Her expression was thoughtful as she looked at him. "Young Do, why don't you ever wear the bracelet I made you? Did you lose it?"

He gaped at her. "What?"

"I know what I want from you," she replied. "If you don't like the colors, I can make you a new one. That's what it is, right? You've lost it."

"You want me to wear your bracelet? That's all?"

"Should I ask you for a purse? Is this how it goes?" She tilted her head and looked at him speculatively. "What do you think suits me?"

"I'll buy you one all the ahjummas use," he retorted. "With big black handles and patterns everywhere. Ask for something else."

Eun Sang's eyes narrowed. "You did lose it, otherwise you're avoiding the question."

"Ask for something else," he repeated. "And I didn't lose it. I just –"

"What?"

"Cha Eun Sang, just ask for something else. _Please_."

His soft entreaty made her pause, and then she nodded. "Actually, I did think of something else. Do you know someone who could give me self-defense training? Not you," she hastily added. "An actual teacher."

"You mean like judo?" Young Do asked. "And I'm offended. I happen to be excellent at telling people what to do."

"I said teacher," Eun Sang stressed. "Not dictator."

"You didn't have some of my teachers." Young Do scoffed. "At least you're taking my warnings seriously now."

"This isn't about me sleeping outside," Eun Sang said. "I just want to be able to take care of myself." She shot him a steely-eyed glance. "You don't have to save me, you know."

"I didn't mean—"

"You do. Even if you don't say it out loud. Myung Soo, too. Even Chan Young forgets sometimes." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I don't break easily, Choi Young Do."

He found he had nothing to say, so he nodded.

Young Do phoned his sensei later that day, and asked him if he would be willing to take on another student. "She's a girl I know. And I think she'd be good at it. I'll pay for the time."

After he hung up, he went over to his dresser and pulled out the top drawer. He spotted the box containing Eun Sang's bracelet, and lifted it out. The bracelet coiled against his palm and he ran his fingers over it. She had picked out his favorite colors and he knew without trying it on, that the bracelet would be the right size. He squeezed it and thought about her words – "_You don't have to save me_," and shook his head.

"Who said anything about _you_ needing to be saved?"

He dropped the bracelet back into its box and pushed the drawer shut.

* * *

Young Do keeps one eye on Eun Sang as he goes through the forms. Eun Sang is running laps around the dojo, her pony tail flying behind her. She has a look of extreme concentration on her face as she runs, and it's completely adorable.

Sensei clears his throat, and Young Do drags his attention back. "Sorry."

"You've changed," Sensei says, and smiles. "Before, you were always angry. I told you that you could not advance further with that anger."

"So you keep on insisting," Young Do says, then looks over at Eun Sang. She's stopped running and is doing stretches, her arms a graceful arc above her head.

"You still need to work on your focus though," Sensei says matter of factly, and before Young Do knows it, he's flipped to the ground.

Sensei looms over him, amusement written all over his features. "At this rate, Eun Sang will catch up with you easily."

"I'd like to see her try," Young Do says, and gets to his feet.

"She just may surprise you." Sensei says.

Eun Sang takes a drink of water, and Young Do watches as she tilts her head back smoothly, the smooth column of her throat visible.

He bites his lip. "She already does."

He waits for her outside of the changing room. Eun Sang walks out, twisting her damp hair into a bun on top of her head.

She grins at him and he feels it again, the flare of heat against his cheeks and over his heart. She shows him her phone. "Call Myung Soo, he thinks you have a secret girlfriend, and won't stop texting me about it."

"Myung Soo's got an overactive imagination."

He sees the lines of frantic faces and frowns at the excessive hearts Myung Soo sends in his texts. "Just like a kid," he mutters, and punches in his text.

"Do you want to die? Stop bothering Cha Eun Sang."

"So you are with her! I knew you couldn't be on a date. That'll make Kang Yesol happy."

"Why should I care about what Kang Yesol feels?"

"Because she likes you, idiot."

Myung Soo sends a shocked face.

Young Do raises an eyebrow. "So?"

"So, you should be kind to her heart."

"I don't owe her anything, why do I need to be kind to her heart? Her feelings have nothing to do with mine."

He doesn't know he's scowling until Eun Sang places her hand against his cheek, her thumb pressed against his face. "What's wrong?"

"Just Myung Soo saying unnecessary things again. Forget it. I'll take you home."

"Actually, I'm going to meet up with him. I can talk to him, if you like?"

Young Do stills. "No, that's fine. I'll see you later, same time?"

"Of course. See you later, Young Do."

* * *

Myung Soo is sprawled out on the couch in the study room when Eun Sang lets herself in. He scoots over and pats the cushion next to him. "Eun Sangie, you've come!"

"You asked me to, remember?"

Eun Sang drops onto the couch, her legs briefly tangling with his before she moves away. "What did you say to Young Do? He was annoyed when I left."

"You've been keeping secrets," Myung Soo says accusingly. "Both of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Why was Young Do with you? He said he had a date – was it with you?"

Eun Sang's mouth drops open from shock. "Jo Myung Soo, are you crazy?"

"Maybe." Myung Soo hugs his cushion. He sounds oddly plaintive. "I just know that he's been spending a lot of time with you."

"So do you. Besides, Young Do just visits me at work sometimes. It's not like I have a lot of free time." Eun Sang elbows him. "What is this really about?"

"I feel like I don't see you as much anymore. And Young Do too – and now it seems like you're always with him. You were my friend first."

He peers over his cushion, and gauges her reaction. "You think I'm being dumb, don't you?"

"Idiot," Eun Sang says, but with no malice. "Are we five years old? I'm not a toy to be fought over." She sighs. "Myung Soo, you're my friend too. It's not what you think between Young Do and me. I'm just taking judo lessons from his teacher, and he trains as well."

"But he said it was a date," Myung Soo says, then sinks back into the couch. "Why would he say that?"

"You know him better than I do," Eun Sang says and shrugs. "He was probably teasing you, like he always does."

"That elementary school kid," Myung Soo scowls, then punches his cushion. "I really don't know what he's thinking sometimes."

"So are we all right?" Eun Sang prods at his thigh with her shoe. "We can do something together this weekend, I have an early shift at the café."

Myung Soo's face lights up and then he remembers his family's vacation plans. "I can't. My family's leaving for Jeju this weekend, we'll be there for two weeks for summer vacation."

He sighs dejectedly, and Eun Sang can't hold back her laughter. "Yah, Jo Myung Soo, do you know how ridiculous you sound? _Oh no_, you're going to Jeju. What a terrible summer."

"I'll bring you back tangerines and chocolate," Myung Soo promises. "Just remember to text me once in a while, hmm?" He bats his eyelashes at her. "I'll miss you, Cha Eun Sang."

* * *

Summer in Jeju is tangerines and elephant rides and the immaculately cut emerald green of an exclusive golf course. Myung Soo spends as much time with his parents as he can stand, and leaves them holding hands mooning over the sunset or whatever.

He checks his SNS.

Eun Sang hasn't texted him _once_ during his summer vacation and he feels slighted – no, beyond slighted, _affronted_.

Eun Sang's status feed is full of updates about her latest part time jobs – a picture of her holding up a puppy catches his attention. "Looks just like our Myung Soo."

He scoffs. "I'm way cuter."

Eun Sang scooping ice cream, Eun Sang mopping – _who takes a picture of herself mopping, _seriously – Eun Sang dressed in a mascot outfit scowling at the camera – Young Do had tagged that picture and commented, "My favorite," Eun Sang asleep while Chan Young flashed bunny ears behind her head.

Myung Soo sighs. She was probably too busy to contact him.

He checks Young Do's feed next, and it's typically blank, except for a few comments on Bo Na's page. However, he's liked all of the photos Eun Sang's posted, and there was a lengthy conversation underneath her mascot picture.

Young Do started with, "You owe me dinner, Cha Eun Sang."

Eun Sang replied, "And why is that?"

"Because of my efforts, your café improved their daily take almost 200%."

"Did you go and talk to my manager?"

"Of course. I wanted to make sure my hard work was appreciated."

"Your hard work? _I_ was wearing the costume."

"And it looked very nice on you."

So it went, and Myung Soo's eyebrows nearly hit his hairline as he scrolled further. This was definitely not standard operating procedure for Young Do.

* * *

"You _like_ her," he said out loud, and felt that familiar twinge of pain. During that long evening at Eun Sang's house, he had dismissed it as worry over Young Do's condition – but now he knew. It was realization.

He looked at her smiling face and felt his heart beat faster. "I do too."

Myung Soo couldn't pin point the exact time – it wasn't the lightning moment he had with Lee Bo Na, or the casual flirtations with other students – he had even fancied himself a little in love with Yoo Rachel, after all, but something slow and steady had developed beyond his imagination.

And now with Young Do in the picture, it felt beyond his grasp.

Young Do stirs his iced coffee and checks his watch. He is taking Eun Sang to a matinee showing of something with a lot of violence and stupid teenagers in it, and he wants them to be on time.

His phone vibrates, and he sees Myung Soo's contact information pop up. He swipes his screen and reads, "A chemical reaction?"

He furrows his brow in confusion. "Did you fall off an elephant? How are you, by the way?"

"I'm coming home in three days. I've got presents. Tell Eun Sang."

"Tell her yourself, I'm not your secretary."

"I just figured she'd be there. You guys have gotten really close, right?"

"What's that mean?"

"You're the genius, you figure it out."

Young Do stares at his phone, then shakes his head. "What's his problem?"

"Who's having a problem?"

Young Do nearly drops his phone from shock. Eun Sang has appeared out of nowhere – well, obviously from the employee entrance, but her sudden presence startles him.

Eun Sang's dressed in a button down plaid shirt, and faded blue jeans. Her hair is slightly wavy as she's pulled it free from her pony tail, and softly frames her face. He knows if he looks down, he'll see her trusty black Converses. It's an outfit he's seen before – both on her and other high school girls. Everything completely ordinary and familiar, but now he notices the way Eun Sang smiles, the dimple in her chin and her bright eyes.

Eun Sang is suddenly unspeakably, unknowingly _beautiful_ and he blinks, as if he's emerged from a dark room.

"Cha Eun Sang," he says, trying to keep his voice steady. "Don't scare me like that."

She rolls her eyes. "Yah, the scary Choi Young Do is so easily surprised? Are you going to survive this film? I didn't think you'd be so _soft_," she teases, and picks up his coffee. She takes a sip, and makes a pleased noise. "Still good," she crows. "But of course, since I made it."

She checks her watch. "Ah, we better get going. We can still catch a bus – unless you brought your driver?"

"He's out in front," Young Do says. "Just give me a minute, okay? I'll be right there."

She gives him a funny look. "All right. Thanks for taking me, again. Chan Young is too chicken, and I didn't want to see it by myself."

"You're welcome."

When she pushes through the swinging doors, Young Do exhales. "The only thing soft about me is you."


End file.
